Has anyone 'sandwiched' a 3n between WDW days?

[Briarmom]

I know this sounds odd, and I have only posted a handfull of times here, but this is my situation.

I had a 4 night cruise booked over Thanksgiving. Due to the price of cruising at that time, dh and I decided to cancel and just stay at the World a few days longer than planned, mostly just to relax.

Now I did not want to cancel the cruise, I really wanted to go. So I am looking at putting a 3 night 'inside' our long stay at WDW. Our dates are Nov 15-27 (15 and 27 are travel days) and we could fit the 3 night that starts on the 17th (which would avoid a weekend at WDW) OR we could fit the 3 night starting on the 20th but when we return it would be FULL UP THANKSGIVING CROWDS at WDW.

So, has anyone ever done this? The cost of the 3 night is a lot less than a 4 night over Thanksgiving, of course.

Thanks!

 

[momof2disprincesses]

Sounds like the best of both worlds to me ... go for it!

 

[graygables]

Haven't done it yet, but am this December...we will be at WDW for 2 days, then 3 nt cruise, then back to WDW for 6 days. I was worried we'd miss the ship, so wanted to go a few days early, just in case, then it just snowballed into this huge vacation!

 

[Briarmom]

Haven't done it yet, but am this December...we will be at WDW for 2 days, then 3 nt cruise, then back to WDW for 6 days. I was worried we'd miss the ship, so wanted to go a few days early, just in case, then it just snowballed into this huge vacation!

I see you actually have the word 'sandwich' in your sig describing the whole situation!

Are you going to go to a park on the 'embark' day? I see we need to be on the ship by 4 pm, but when can we actually get on it?

 

[ReAnSt]

When I went on my cruise on the Wonder they left us get on the boat a little bit before 12 noon. We actually go to do a bunch of stuff on the boat before the mandatory lifeboat drill at 4pm. I highly recommend you get their early. The earlier you get on the sooner you can enjoy the buffet lunches and you get to enjoy a less crowded boat.

Becky

 

[Briarmom]

When I went on my cruise on the Wonder they left us get on the boat a little bit before 12 noon. We actually go to do a bunch of stuff on the boat before the mandatory lifeboat drill at 4pm. I highly recommend you get their early. The earlier you get on the sooner you can enjoy the buffet lunches and you get to enjoy a less crowded boat.

Becky

Thank you Becky! That info is definately important to me. I was looking at our 'trip schedule' and was trying to figure out what we'd miss/what we'd need to move to abother day, and one of the things was our character breakfast. I guess we could move the breakfast to that Thurs morning and then leave for the cruise.

 

[graygables]

I'm planning to try to squeeze in a breakfast at Ohana before we drive to the port. We can go when we please, so that's nice, too. I'd like to be on the ship early to take advantage of every moment of the 3 nighter!

 

[BethC1952]

We always sandwich. We're actually going to be on the Thanksgiving cruise this year, and the four night after it, too. We're doing one night at Pop Century before, then taking DCL transfers to the port. It's cheaper for two than renting a limo, and we won't rent a car. We have two days at Coronado Springs when we return. Usually WDW is the big focus of our trip, but we decided that two cruises would be a much more relaxing trip this year (we've had a tough year). We don't plan on going to the parks this time, because we're planning to go again in late February or early March (as soon as schedules will permit). It's nice not to have to go right home after the cruise. A day or two or 6 at WDW is a great "wind down"!

Beth

 

[NicsMom1500]

We are doing this in January. Staying 4 nights at All Star Movies, Jan. 19 sail on cruise for 3 nights, and return to CBR for 5 nights.

Hoping it works out well.

 

[mkymouse4ever]

Sandwich fans here too. Works out really nice with the 3 day and an extended WDW trip.

We have done 2 trips already with 3 & 4 days prior at WDW then the 3 day wonder & then return to WDW for 1 week. It works out great for us.

Next August we are going to try the 4 day for the 1st time. Plan on doing 3 nites WDW, 4 nite wonder, and then 1 1/2 week WDW. I think we are slowly working our way up to the magic.

We are big WDW fans, and both thought if we cruised 1st we would be wishing to go to wdw soon, worry we would want to get off the ship. And if we did the cruise last, we would not get to see wdw on our last nite in florida. Don't think we could do that.

Good luck, have a great cruise Mky

 

[Briarmom]

You are making it more and more tempting...

 

[bbowers]

This is a little strange, but the only problem we had with a sandwich was our sea legs after we got back. Neither DH nor I had sea legs after our 3 nt, but did after our 4 nt and DH felt horrible after M:S and he's ridden it 3-4 times before and never had a problem. Then I, on the other hand, who always gets sick during the "landing" portion, felt absolutely fine.

 

[becka]

Due to work schedules, etc.. we are going to "sandwich" the 4 night cruise into our next vacation. We are doing 3 nights at All Star Movies, then the 4 night cruise then back to AKL for 2 nights. It should be interesting if nothing else...

 

[Echo queen]

I love the snow balling out of controll huge vacations.

Haven't done it yet, but am this December...we will be at WDW for 2 days, then 3 nt cruise, then back to WDW for 6 days. I was worried we'd miss the ship, so wanted to go a few days early, just in case, then it just snowballed into this huge vacation!

 

[ElenitaB]

Health permitting, we'll be doing exactly what you're describing. Our original plans had us arriving for one night at BWV on the 16th, doing the 3N embarking on the 17th, and then staying at BWV from the 20th to the 26th. Now our plans (changed due to treatment schedule) have us arriving on the 12th, staying 2 nights at SSR, then at BWV until the 17th (we have an early ADR at Chef Mickey's and then off to port using DCL transfer), returning to BWV for one night and heading home on the 21st. Our sandwich "bread" isn't as hardy as yours, but it's a sandwich nonetheless.

Hope to see you onboard!

P.S. We've been to WDW Thanksgiving week in 2000 and 2001, and found that the crowds don't get really bad until Wednesday.

 

[Briarmom]

Health permitting, we'll be doing exactly what you're describing. Our original plans had us arriving for one night at BWV on the 16th, doing the 3N embarking on the 17th, and then staying at BWV from the 20th to the 26th. Now our plans (changed due to treatment schedule) have us arriving on the 12th, staying 2 nights at SSR, then at BWV until the 17th (we have an early ADR at Chef Mickey's and then off to port using DCL transfer), returning to BWV for one night and heading home on the 21st. Our sandwich "bread" isn't as hardy as yours, but it's a sandwich nonetheless.

Hope to see you onboard!

P.S. We've been to WDW Thanksgiving week in 2000 and 2001, and found that the crowds don't get really bad until Wednesday.

Thanks! I hope to see me on board too. This has been such a struggle planning this vacation. I am glad to see others have done/are doing this!

 

[twinx4]

I'm always in DW during Christmas. But I was planning to take my first disney cruise in the month of november. But now trying the sandwich method may work out for me. I wanted to take the 7 day cruise. Then I was going to return to WDW in December for our families traditional vacation.

But now the sandwich is another great alternative. Hmmm..let me see how this will work for me.

 

[familydad]

Our first cruise was a 3-nighter sandwiched between several days before and after at WDW. We had rented a motor home here in Michigan and drove down for a two week Florida vacationin mid/late November. It was about 4 years ago, so it's hard to remember, but I think it was 4 days at WDW, 3 night cruise, 3 more days at WDW, then the rest of the time at my mom's place in Destin.

It was GREAT! The extra time afterward at WDW really was a nice wind-down. Since it was our first cruise, a 3-night was decided on to make sure we were really "cruiser types" (we were!). So my only complaint would be that it was ONLY 3 nights. We did a 7 day about a year ago and loved it!

Since your time on the cruise is limited, make the most of it - be sure you pack your swimming pool stuff (bathing suits, etc.) in a separate carry-on so you can swim in the pool as soon as you board. If you're a "park commando" type and want to get the most of your day on debarkation, try to make sure you're packed early on the last night so you can get a good night's sleep - that way you're well rested for a day in the parks! On the other hand, if you won't be spending that day in the parks, just hang out at the hotel pool to wind down.

We found a trip to one of the waterparks (Blizzard Beach, I think it was) a great debarkation day park. You can relax by some water and not feel like you have to run around trying to get every last ride in. Weather may be an issue in November, though...

 

[Briarmom]

Thanks Familydad!

I wish we could get on a 7 night. Right now I don't even know if we'll do the 3 night. Money is tight, but I am trying to make it work. If I do make it work, I will become the most difficult poster on the Cruise Boards trying to throw together a last minute cruise as a first timer!

 

[christinou]

We did that, we did 5 days at WDW, then the 3 day cruise, then another 5 days. It was fantastic, we were camping at Fort Wilderness, and actually left our camper on the camp site and had just a suitcase packed for the cruise, so it was really easy for us no checking out and back in, we actually surprised the kids with that one and told them we were going to Cocoa Beach for the day..... That was great.