MNSSHP the night before leaving on cruise?

[wdwgirl21]

We are on the September 26th sailing of the Fantasy, and are thinking about doing the MNSSHP at the Magic Kingdom the night before the ship sails. Has anyone done a party the night before leaving on a cruise? We are surprising the kids with the cruise, actually the whole trip in general, and thinking about booking a limo shuttle to Port Canaveral from our Disney hotel to Port Canaveral. If we aren't taking the DCL transfers, what time would you recommend to leave Disney to get to the port at a good time?

Thanks!

 

[Kimberly1]

I haven't done the party the night before a cruise, but I'd highly recommend it. We LOVE the Halloween party and you don't have to be up too early for the cruise.

 

[cmhguy]

We are doing this the night before our Dream B2B sailing on 9/21. I am on the fence if I will rent a car and get an early PAT, or just be more care free and take DCL bus. I can't decide if boarding a few hours sooner is worth it to me. If I drive, I'll leave WDW about 8-8:30 ish......an hour to port and then to give me time to return car and shuttle to port to get there around 10 ish. I keep going back and forth with my decision. But totally excited to do MNSSHP!!!!

 

[Weedy]

Since you are on a 7 day cruise you don't need to rush as much as if you would if you were on a shorter cruise.
If I were you I would take private transportation and plan on leaving your hotel about 12:00.
This way you won't have to get up early or rush because the Halloween party runs late.
By the time you get to port it should be about 1:00 and the lines will be gone from the cruise terminal. But still plenty of time to get some lunch.

 

[Drusilla99]

Sounds like so much fun! Love the Halloween party. I would do a private transfer to the port. Last time we had the car pick us up at 9:15, we got to the port & through security just in time for our 10:30 PAT time frame. After all the check ins, we sat and waited about 10 minutes for our boarding # to be called & then, let the fun begin!

 

[bumbershoot]

...thinking about doing the MNSSHP at the Magic Kingdom the night before the ship sails. .... We are surprising the kids with the cruise, actually the whole trip in general

With the surprise you likely won't want to let them know until the day of the cruise? So how would that work with packing? Will you be packing before the party, as though you're leaving the next day? Will you be packing after they leave? Will this create issues with the adults? (I ask because that sort of frantic, quiet packing causes issues with the adults that live in MY house LOL)

Think it through, remembering that you do have to get ready for the next day, while making your decision.

 

[lollidrop]

It could just be me, but I always tend to feel a little beat up the day after those parties. I tend to walk around a lot and stay until the end, though. I like the party a lot, but I don't think I would schedule myself to get on a cruise the next day.

 

[moremouse]

We are doing MNSSHP the night before our cruise in September as well.

It doesn't really take long to get to the port at all. An hour or so. You can enjoy the party, sleep in, and leave late morning to get there. The later you arrive, the less crowded it will be anyway (usually).

I can't speak for how much more work it will be with the kids (ours are grown), but we just tend to think of getting on the ship and being able to relax for a week. Who cares how long we were up the night before.

If you're not driving yourself that a plus though, right?

I'm sure you'll have fun no matter what.

 

[Bree]

I would do it. You can get into MK as early as 4pm with your party ticket. Last year party ticket holders were able to book three FP+ between 4-7pm!!!

 

[JLMDisneyCruise]

I'm returning from my cruise that day and doing MNSSHP after...on the Fantasy, I'll wave when we dock...

 

[kiford]

We've done MVMCP the night before a cruise. We always take DCL transfers; we've been picked up anywhere between 10:30-12:30 so we get a chance to sleep in and have breakfast.

 

[preciouspups]

Thank you for this idea! We are about to buy tickets to the Very Merry Christmas Parade for the night before our cruise.

 

[orion2185]

We will be doing the dream dec 7 4night cruise getting off and going to the MVMC party on the 11th. Staying at Bay Lake Towers

Then we will be going on the dec 12 7night fantasy cruise
Then back to WDW after the fantasy cruise

We are also still trying to decide if we should take the DCL bus or private transfer from port to WDW and WDW back to port

Does the DCL bus still make multiple resort stops even if staying at deluxe resort?

Don't see any issues with doing the Christmas party the day between the two cruises. Other than having a late night and getting up early to go to the port.
We saw it as the perfect way to spend the day between the cruises..allot better than sitting in some hotel room. Or trying to make it to WDW to spend the day in the park.

Since with the party ticket we can get into MK at 4pm. Don't have worry about times and park capacity
We have plenty of time to get off the ship and to WDW and check in at resort and get ready for the party

 

[bumbershoot]

I can't speak for how much more work it will be with the kids (ours are grown), but we just tend to think of getting on the ship and being able to relax for a week. Who cares how long we were up the night before.

That's why it's so important to think about your own family dynamics! You guys have the next day in mind and don't care. That's not how everyone works.

We have plenty of time to get off the ship and to WDW and check in at resort and get ready for the party

If your room isn't ready until 3 or so, what will you do in the hours in between? By no means am I saying it's a problem, but it's worth planning out!

 

[kiford]

Does the DCL bus still make multiple resort stops even if staying at deluxe resort?

Maybe yes, maybe no. It all depends on the number of people going and their distribution across resorts. We've been at the BC and been the second pick up (after YC), been at the BC and the only people on the bus were from BC, been at GF and it was only GF guests, and been at BWI and then gone to pick up YC and BC.