First-timer on DCL/several questions/land/cruise cat6 vs 4

[flagger]

We are planning our first DCL cruise for December 2007/January 2008. I know the schedules are not even out yet, etc. We will be a late 30-something couple with a four and a half year old daughter. This will be our fourth cruise.

 

We want to do a land/cruise combo. What is better 3 park days/4 cruise days or 4 park/3 cruise? Do we want to cruise before or after the parks?

 

Speaking of which, a category 4 is about $800 more for the three of us but does not change the hotels. It does seem to have more square footage. Considering the largest room we have stayed in was only about 191 sq feet, even a category 6 seems HUGE. Are there things we might like about cat 4 vs 6 besides the space. Are there hidden (great/secret) staterooms in those categories that anyone can recommend.

 

Those categories currently include staying at AKL/Polynesian/Swan or Dolphin or Beach Club. My TA recommended Beach Club because of our daughter, but liked the Poly having monorail access. Then she said we might like AKL but seeing the Savanah is not that important. Land hotels for us matter little because all our time is mostly spent at the parks. WE can of course do bus transport.

 

Again I know this is a long way off, but this would be a special trip for us before our daughter started Kindergarten.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Hello,

Well I will give you my 2 cents worth on your questions as best I can.

Just a little background. I have done 8 DCL cruises, the most recent we got back from on Sunday. We live near WDW and go almost every weekend. so I know both places pretty well.

When to go would depend a little on what time of Dec or Jan you go.

The crowds at WDW are not too bad the week before Christmas and after New Years. But you don't want to get caught there from Dec 24th to Jan 1st, unless you dont mind waiting 60 to 90 minutes for most attractions. They do have fast passes which help some, but it's very stressful then. Just something to consider since you have a small child with you.

All the resorts you listed are great and all have the transportation to the parks. For us the parks are more tiring than the cruise, so if I were doing the land/sea package I would do the parks first so you can kind of rest up on the cruise before going back home. The cruise can keep you going from morning till late at night too, if you choose to participate in everything you can squeeze in. But it's still much less stressful than WDW, no lines to wait in, much more relaxed. Most people go home from WDW needing a vacation to recover from their vacation.

We never spend enough time in our state rooms to worry about what category we are in. All DCL rooms are larger than their counterparts on other lines. Some have the split bathrooms, which is great for a family. We have done inside stateroom, port hole, verandah, and category 4 verandah. Some verandah's are walled in some so you really cant see anything unless you are standing up on the balcony. I like the glass enclosed ones so I can look out while sitting on the couch, sorry I cant remember what category they were. The category 4 was a much larger room. It had an extra bed to pull down, and an extra chair for sitting. But the couch is plenty big enough to hold 3 of you and there is a stool chair tucked into the desk you can use in all the rooms. For the price difference I would take a 6 over an 8 just because we are not in the room enough to enjoy it $800. worth. I would rather take that money for extra souvenirs or an excursion. We have gone with ages 18 months through 51 years, so have experienced it all. We too will be going at Christmas 2007 as soon as they post the schedule. This year we go 12/17 but get back on Christmas eve. At least we will get to see the decorations again.

Hope this helped a little,

mom x4,grandma x4

[flagger]

Our first trip to WDW pre child was 10 years ago (Before even AK). We did three parks in two days, flying in on Thursday late and flying out early Sunday morning. We went in the middle of January and the lines were not bad at all. I think the longest we stood in line was 45 minutes at SM. We were thinking of doing at pre-Christmas (first/second week of Dec) before the schools get out, but to enjoy the decorations.

 

We are doing a whirlwhind SoCal trip next month with four parks in four days including Sea World, SD Zoo Wild Animal Park, DL and CA. We will miss the decorations and IASW because they are shut down for decorating. Gives us something to think about for Dec 2007. Just need them to open up the schedule a bit.

 

I would like the glass versus walled in I think. We do spend quite a bit of time on our balcony. You did mean take a 6 versus a 4 and save the $800 right? Cat 6 shows to be 258 SQ feet versus Cat 4 (304 sq feet).

 

I wonder if any cat 6 have the glass balconies versus the walled in ones. I know that all ships have secret hidden cabins too in similar categories that go fast.

 

Do we have any idea when the Dec 2007 schedule will be available?

[flagger]

Thanks for your answers by the way. I just noticed on the DISboards that the December 2007 rates are due to come out next Wednesday 10/19 at some point.

 

Do you think it would be better to book a specific cabin or just go with say a Category 6 GTY and hope for an upgrade.

[mkymouse4ever]

Just another option: We prefer to do our own Land / Sea. Gives you more flexability with picking your resort & cabin. ;) Your not locked into their choices. Its ala carte'. We also like to do the "sandwich" put the cruise in the middle a little wdw before and after, just our preferance. With your own choices you can spend your $$$ where you want to, upgrade your ships cabin & save on wdw if your more in the parks? Or if your not in your cabin save on no verannadah and splurge on the grand floridian. Your choice.

 

Mky;)

[flagger]

Someone else suggested that too. I do think booking cruise post WDW would sort of like doing Alaska land then post cruise with the cruise to be able to relax. My TA doesn't think I will much like a 4 day cruise after having been on 7 day cruises before, but we were only going to do WDW before my daughter started school that year and this would allow us to do both.

 

I will look into al la carte though. I have to cruise with a verandah though, I cannot imagine going back.

[mkymouse4ever]

The Wonder Cruise gives you a couple of relaxing days on ship and castaway cay. I prefer to stay on board at naussau for more time on ship & I'm not interested in naussau. Its nice that its not that crowded. Its a nice add on with our extented 2 week vacations to walt disney world. ;) I noted you wrote you prefer the clear plexi glass balcony, those are nice, BUT we had cabin 6152 last time with the white wall it was huge. the couch would of fit out there long ways.;) Its the cabin next to the HC room on deck 6. We could of had 4 lounge chairs out there. There are a few of these types of balconies to regular cabins that are a real find and well worth trying out once, they just might change your mind.

 

Mky:)

[flagger]

There are a few of these types of balconies to regular cabins that are a real find and well worth trying out once, they just might change your mind.

I was reading there are some Cat 7's that used to be Cat 5's. But that 6152 would be close to having an aft as possible for a Disney cruise. Though we like to be able to watch the wake without having to stand up.

 

Ms. Flagger just asked about sun coverage out in that cabin? I also read an earlier post where someonee talked about getting wet not from Sea Spray but from the PowerWashers up around Topsiders. Was that a problem. I will try and book it as soon as Dec 07 becomes available. I honestly do not expect them to become available this soon as no one else has 2007 through June.

[mkymouse4ever]

I wrote that on the dis about the power washers!:p There is a partial roof near the door, about the same as any other regular cabin. then it opens up into the open area you can easily see over the wall seating in the chairs provided. As for the power washers you do have to watch for that occurance and not leave your stuff out there.

 

We have you other cabin booked for our next cruise! August 2006! Its a cabin category 7 but used to be a 5!;) #7620. This has the "slant" as the obstruction that is why it was downgraded to the #7. It looks really great in the pictures I've seen so we are excited. I was going to just take a regular #6 plexiglass but this was available it was about $800 cheaper than the #5 categories going at the same time. :eek:

 

When I scored these 2 cabins they did NOT come up on the websites or where not offered by the disney rep on the phone. I usually check web & then call to make reservations. I kept plugging in cabin #'s I wanted till I hit these. Just got lucky.

 

Happy hunting, Mky:)

[flagger]

Do you have pictures of 6152? And do you know where I can find pictures of 7620?

 

Thanks for all the tips.

[mkymouse4ever]

I don't know how to post pictures. no computer skills :eek: But check out www.castawayclub.com this is a great website with pictures and there are pictures of 7620 's balcony on it.

 

mky;)

[flagger]

Wow thanks for those tips. Ms. Flagger looked at those photos and said BOOK EM DANNO. We are trying to decide if we can do a seven day versus a four day. We are doing St. Maarten in this upcoming cruise, so not sure if I will want to go back two years later. Then again, we might just love the port. I will have to look at the port times and decide which one suits us better. Just getting the time off of work will be the tough one on anything longer than a week. Do you have any ala carte tips on transportation from MCO-WDW? Also from WDW to the port without doing Disney transport and thereby beating the crowds? Then the port to MCO? We don't even have an idea where we will be living in December of 2007 because of Ms. Flagger's work. I am thinking of looking into ala carte and doing a three day park hopper, staying at AKL or Beach Club, going to the Radisson near port Canaveral the night before just to get more time on board the ship. There is just so much we cannot do with a four and a half year old that we can do with an older child. But we always said we would do WDW for the year before she starts kindergarten, and I REALLY like the idea of both Value Season and being able to see the World all decorated.

[misseulalie]

Concerning the hotels, choose the Polynesian. Out of the choices they give you it is the best one. It is close to Magic Kingdom and has more for kids than the other two. Also, you can take the monorail to the other hotels to visit and spend time.

 

Jennifer

[mkymouse4ever]

I agree that after many trips to wdw our favorite resort is the Polynesian resort also. ;) They are undergoing a room rehab right now that will redo the inside of the rooms with new flat tv's, beds, chairs, all new insides the pictures look great. check out this web site for pictures and info: http://tikiman2001.homestead.com/index.html

 

I am really spoiled (or lazy maybe extravagant) but we always rent a car and park it at the port. I know you pay for the car & parking BUT it is so easy, and time saving. The car deals I've gotten are actually been cheaper to keep the car the entire time we are there than check them in and out, so we pay for parking which is 10.00 / day at port canaraval. Having your own car you get to leave immediately and on your way at your own pace.

 

Glad you liked the pictures and info at castaway, thats a great web site. For a great web site about wdw try: www.allearsnet.com Also has great pictures, and resort info!

 

Have a great time, Mky:)

[flagger]

We have so many variables to consider. Thankfully we have over two years to consider them.

 

Here is some of the things I am trying to wrap my mind around.

 

Renting a car versus letting Disney handling all of the transfers. Doing it al la carte and saving a few dollars here and there maybe. Or just going for broke. Renting a car does allow for flexibility and I know lots of people prefer to stay at a hotel near the port to be able to possibly board a few hours before everyone else coming on the busses.

 

Then considering doing just 3 days at WDW and then a 4 day on another line. So many people say they can get larger accomodations on other ships for less than Disney is charging etc. Though part of me would love for my then four year old to experience a week of wonder even if it puts me in the poor house.

 

Ms. Flagger retracted her Book Em Danno a bit and suddenly the partially obstructed view bothered her. I did a price quote for a Cat 5 6 and 6 for December 2006 and the difference if one could book those special formarlly 5 or 6 but now 7 cabins was $200 cheaper than a 6 and $400 than a 5. We shall see what she decides.

 

Lots of thigns to research, but thankfully lots of time to do it.