Disney Cruise First Timer - How do you get an 8AS room?

[Brett Wyman]

All in the title. I've just began to scratch the surface of the ins and outs of booking a Disney cruise for our travels sometime in 2021. What is the trick to get an 8AS room or is it completely random? TIA.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

All in the title. I've just began to scratch the surface of the ins and outs of booking a Disney cruise for our travels sometime in 2021. What is the trick to get an 8AS room or is it completely random? TIA.

Do you mean 8A (not sure what an 8AS is)?

It just depends on what's available when you get around to booking. You select your own room, so, if the bookings haven't been open too long, you can select an 8A (or 9C, or 4B, or whatever).

 

[Brett Wyman]

I may be mislabeling it, but I mean this one.

 

[TestingH2O]

I may be mislabeling it, but I mean this one.

Yes, that’s an 8A. Those rooms are on on the Dream and Fantasy. They are ocean view rooms located on Deck 5.

When you look for a cruise, you’ll look for ocean view rooms on Deck 5 and hope that those are available.

 

[MIAMouseketeer]

I had that room on the Dream. They are awesome! It felt like a mini-suite. We booked super early.

 

[lklgoodman]

I had booked one of those for a cruise. They don't have the split baths, so I change to a different cabin. I do like the layout, just wished it had the split baths.

 

[mareed]

I had booked one of those for a cruise. They don't have the split baths, so I change to a different cabin. I do like the layout, just wished it had the split baths.

I agree with you that the missing split bath is a big negative. All the open, empty floor space really isn't very useful to me since I cruise with adults only, though I suppose it could be a nice play area for small children.

 

[cvjw]

No split bath keeps us from booking this type cabin also!

 

[Geomom]

I believe they only sleep 3, so if you're looking for 4, the room won't show up as available for you.

 

[71 Truck]

We first had the 8A double size room as a Guaranteed / Restricted Ocean view rate back in April 2018. This is the rate Disney uses to fill the boat and they assignee the room for you, you have no choice and you can't upgrade. Well we won the luck of the draw. Disney gave us our room number about 10 days before we sailed. It ended up being a handicapped room with a roll in shower. I was told Disney holds these rooms back for special needs guest till almost last minute and when they have no special needs guests for them, they fill them. It did not have a divider wall however it did have a pole in the middle of the room.




As soon as we got home we were looking on the cruise website we saw the 8A (non handicapped )double room was available for April 2019. We contacted our travel agent . We asked her to check and if so book it. She called me back 15 minutes later and said we were all booked. This was the room we got for April 2019. We got lucky. I was told you had to book these rooms as soon as opening day for Platinum. The only thing I can think of was that someone canceled or modified their reservation as we were looking into them and booking it.

 

[MouseOfCards]

We first had the 8A double size room as a Guaranteed / Restricted Ocean view rate back in April 2018. This is the rate Disney uses to fill the boat and they assignee the room for you, you have no choice and you can't upgrade. Well we won the luck of the draw. Disney gave us our room number about 10 days before we sailed. It ended up being a handicapped room with a roll in shower. I was told Disney holds these rooms back for special needs guest till almost last minute and when they have no special needs guests for them, they fill them. It did not have a divider wall however it did have a pole in the middle of the room.

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As soon as we got home we were looking on the cruise website we saw the 8A (non handicapped )double room was available for April 2019. We contacted our travel agent . We asked her to check and if so book it. She called me back 15 minutes later and said we were all booked. This was the room we got for April 2019. We got lucky. I was told you had to book these rooms as soon as opening day for Platinum. The only thing I can think of was that someone canceled or modified their reservation as we were looking into them and booking it.

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Very nice. Lots of open area compared to the rooms we're used to (e.g. squeezing by the bed). Thanks for sharing!

 

[dlin2011]

Do any of these connect to each other?

 

[Bonnie1222]

Do any of these connect to each other?

Yes, If you look at the pictures from @71 Truck you can actually see the connecting doors in the pictures.

One nice thing having the room with the half wall was we traveled with friends who were in an inside stateroom. Each night before dinner we would meet in our room to have wine/beer and we ordered cheese plates from room service and we had our little "living room" to sit and enjoy. Plenty of room.

 

[Donna M]

We're booked in one for our cruise at the end of Jan. I can't wait!

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

All in the title. I've just began to scratch the surface of the ins and outs of booking a Disney cruise for our travels sometime in 2021. What is the trick to get an 8AS room or is it completely random? TIA.

The only rooms with the dividing wall are 5020, 5022, 5520 and 5522. The other 8A rooms on decks 5 & 6 are also big with two windows, but have no dividing wall, and some of those have a big pole in the middle of the room and/or a shower-only bathroom (no tub). The rooms with the dividing wall all have the standard tub/shower combo.

 

[mischameesh]

I am a complete newbie and stumbled on one by chance and booked it (5522) for our first cruise that's coming up in February. For my family, the extra space and two big portholes was better for us over the split bath (I think).

 

[MIAMouseketeer]

I am a complete newbie and stumbled on one by chance and booked it (5522) for our first cruise that's coming up in February. For my family, the extra space and two big portholes was better for us over the split bath (I think).

Not sure about your family, but we did fine without the split bath and loved the extra space. We had that same cabin. Enjoy!

 

[SL6827]

I am thinking all of these rooms are at the front of the ship, right or not? Are they all handicap? If so, does Disney let anyone book a handicap room when they first open up? What would they do if Disney needed to utilize one of the rooms and they were all booked? These do look awesome.

 

[lklgoodman]

Yes they are all in the front and no, they are not all handicapped. Not sure how many are handicapped. I would hope Disney just let's those who need a handicapped room book them, but don't know since we don't need one.

 

[SL6827]

Yes they are all in the front and no, they are not all handicapped. Not sure how many are handicapped. I would hope Disney just let's those who need a handicapped room book them, but don't know since we don't need one.

Oh, ok. Well that is good then. I agree. I don't know if I would like to sail the front of the ship, is there any drawbacks to that area?