Help with planning logistics

[ChoppyGirl]

We are not going to WDW until April/May 2023 but never too early to start planning!

We are looking at a 3 week trip and want to incorporate a few different things but I am struggle with the logistics of it all.

DH is only really allowed 2 weeks annual leave at a time but with enough notice and permission from the owner he can have a maximum of 3 weeks. He works Monday to Friday and his work prefer him to have whole weeks off rather than part as he is a HGV driver and it's easier for them to plan.

We want to include on the trip the following:

14 nights on site at WDW (probably Grand Destino Tower at CSR)
4 night Disney Cruise to the Bahamas
3 nights at a Universal hotel

The problem is that the cruise is Monday - Friday for a 4 night trip or Friday-Monday for a 3 but we really want the day at sea.

Can anyone help with a cunning plan? Because of DH's annual leave we are probably looking at flying on a Saturday (or Friday at a push).

[Charlangela]

Not sure what time of year you are looking at going but if you were to pick next June the may bank holiday has been pushed to beginning of June to coincide with the Platinum Jubilee. Could he use the 3 weeks annual leave but you actually fly out on one of the bank holiday dates?

2 June Thursday Spring bank holiday
3 June Friday Platinum Jubilee bank holiday


EDIT - Ignore me I obviously did not read 2023!

[shelle]

Could you split up the Universal nights therefore getting an extra days FOL passes? Ideally you wouldn't want to stay at Universal your first night anyway as you've pretty much wasted your first day's front of line by the time you've arrived at the resort.

Maybe do Saturday and Sunday off-site (may be even near port/on the coast), cruise, 2 nights universal and then 13 nights Disney?

[Rebecca_]

This is similar to what we have planned for November although we're only doing the 3 day cruise

If you can fly out on the Friday instead of the Saturday it would make it more straightforward IMO:
14 nights CSR (Fri - Fri)
3 nights Universal (Fri - Mon)
Cruise (Mon - Fri)

[ChoppyGirl]

Originally Posted by Rebecca_

This is similar to what we have planned for November although we're only doing the 3 day cruise

If you can fly out on the Friday instead of the Saturday it would make it more straightforward IMO:
14 nights CSR (Fri - Fri)
3 nights Universal (Fri - Mon)
Cruise (Mon - Fri)

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Thank you - I think DH may have to plead with his work for the extra day off! Ideally I wanted to do the Universal part last but I don't think it would work. I guess we could spend the day of the flight at Disney Springs and if we flew Virgin and they still did check in there we could even get rid of the bags!

[Rebecca_]

Originally Posted by ChoppyGirl

Thank you - I think DH may have to plead with his work for the extra day off! Ideally I wanted to do the Universal part last but I don't think it would work. I guess we could spend the day of the flight at Disney Springs and if we flew Virgin and they still did check in there we could even get rid of the bags!

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The only other thing I can suggest is maybe cutting down your stay at Disney to 12 nights and doing the cruise first? Fly to MCO on Sunday, spend 1 night at Port Canaveral, 4 nights on the cruise, 12 nights at CSR then finish with your 3 nights at Universal & fly home on the Saturday?

[Blue nose]

Remember there's an early bank holiday in May so you could go Sat to Sunday and still have a Monday to rest.

Or go on Good Friday 7th April. Actually that would bring you home on the May bank holiday too, Friday 28th.

It's likey to he a popular time due to school holidays .

[captain-codeye]

I wouldn’t recommend the cruise first, if by some unfortunate event you didn’t make the flight or it was delayed you wouldn’t make it.

Your hotel stay is easy to miss the first night, the cruise won’t wait, I know it’s a slim chance but not worth the risk.

[ChoppyGirl]

Originally Posted by Rebecca_

The only other thing I can suggest is maybe cutting down your stay at Disney to 12 nights and doing the cruise first? Fly to MCO on Sunday, spend 1 night at Port Canaveral, 4 nights on the cruise, 12 nights at CSR then finish with your 3 nights at Universal & fly home on the Saturday?

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I prefer the Friday idea as wouldn’t want to lose 2 days at Disney

[ChoppyGirl]

Originally Posted by Charlangela

Not sure what time of year you are looking at going but if you were to pick next June the may bank holiday has been pushed to beginning of June to coincide with the Platinum Jubilee. Could he use the 3 weeks annual leave but you actually fly out on one of the bank holiday dates?

2 June Thursday Spring bank holiday
3 June Friday Platinum Jubilee bank holiday


EDIT - Ignore me I obviously did not read 2023!

See more...

Thank you anyway!