Feasable to be on 11:53 flight from Port Canaveral

[travlingrlclt]

Getting off the Dream on a Thurs. (Feb 3rd). Is it feasable to be on

an 11:53 am flight. The next one isn't until 3:30 and I don't want to sit

in an airport for 4 hours w/ a preschooler.

[trudle]

Getting off the Dream on a Thurs. (Feb 3rd). Is it feasable to be on

an 11:53 am flight. The next one isn't until 3:30 and I don't want to sit

in an airport for 4 hours w/ a preschooler.

What Airport are you leaving from---if orlando---I think---that is cutting it close----Melbourne---very possible.

 

I thinkDisney has some tours that you can do and then they drop you at the airport---if you have to stay for the afternoon flight. Maybe someone would know the answer better then I.

[travlingrlclt]

Getting off the Dream on a Thurs. (Feb 3rd). Is it feasable to be on

an 11:53 am flight. The next one isn't until 3:30 and I don't want to sit

in an airport for 4 hours w/ a preschooler.

 

 

Yes, it's out of Orlando

[ducklite]

The last cruise I took (not DCL) had a medical emergency on the final night which required us to dock in Miami to remove a sick passenger. That caused us to return to Port Canaveral almost three hours late.

 

If you miss you flight (you'd be cutting it close under the best of circumstances--if you aren't in the boarding area 30 minutes prior to take off they can and will give away your seats) you might not be able to be rebooked on the later one if there are no seats. So it could be a lot more than a couple hours wait at the airport. Rent a car for the day and spend a few hours in Downtown Disney.

[PopFla]

I work at Orlando Int'l, and I would definitely advise you to NOT try to get on a flight that early. Several cruise lines are in port on Thursdays, and that results in heavy loads at the airport. You'd be much better off taking that later flight. That way you'll also be able to take your time disembarking, going through Customs, etc. - - much less stress.

[meatloafsfan]

If you do book that flight here are my suggestions:

 

1. Skip breakfast and be ready to debark at 7:15 (this was the earliest time we were able to debark).

 

2. Hire private transportation - don't rely on a cruise transfer or bus.

 

3. Use a porter. They'll get your bags and get you through Customs as quick as possible.

 

4. OR - try to limit yourself to a carry on and skip the checked luggage all together.

 

5. Be prepared when you get to the airport. Don't put anything in your pockets that morning, have all travel documents handy and make things as simple as you can to get through security.

[cruzmaven]

I never like to encourage people to book early flights, but....

 

Disney does disembarkation better than any other line I've been on. Never had a problem walking off the ship, finding luggage and getting through customs by 8:30 or so and its not difficult to get off earlier.

 

If you can get through customs by 9:00, have private transportation waiting for you, you should be at the airport by 10:00, plenty of time, to catch an 11:53 flight.

 

Of course, any number of things can happen that could mess you up, (lost piece of luggage, traffic, arranged transportation not showing up timely, etc.) but absent all of that its very do-able.

[Host Mick]

You can do it if you don't dawdle around anywhere. Follow the tips above and it's very do-able. You can even get breakfast if you keep it brief.

 

However, keep in mind that there is a chance that something will go wrong (there's ALWAYS a chance that something will go wrong) and you'll miss the flight. So compare being able to make your early flight with the possibility that you might be stuck in the airport for 3-1/2 , 5, even eight hours with your toddler while working the stand-by lines.

[misssixty]

I know all of the "what could happens", but this is what I did. I had a 10:40 am flight out of Orlando.

 

Skipped breakfast in the dining room, ate at the buffet.

Lined up to get off the boat as soon as the doors opened, approx 7:30 am

Used a porter to get luggage and thru customs

Took DCL bus to Airport

Arrived at MCO at 8:30, tons of time to spare. Would do it again. And yes, I know "what could happen" but its a risk you take!

[suezyq50]

I had to make the same choice. I went with the later and waited all afternoon for our flight. Not much fun.

[Carolla5501]

One word of warning. Delta in MCO requires luggage be checked no later then 45 minutes before the flight. There is NO grace period. Whining it's "43minutes" won't work, the computer locks the agents out!

[maddmaxx]

Last few round trips between Coca and Orlando we encountered some construction just west of 520... shouldn't be bad early AM but it's something to keep in mind... could hold you up if you are cutting things close.

[txcruise75]

I am using the DCL transportation and am assuming that we will be arriving at the airport about 10:30 - 11:00 AM. My flight is not till 4 PM. We have 6 kids and 6 adults with us. Should we rent a car and go somewhere, or take a taxi? I am just worried that kids are going to go crazy with such a long wait. Any thoughts on what to do? How far is Downtown Disney? Also, could we check in our luggage that early? :rolleyes:

[ducklite]

I am using the DCL transportation and am assuming that we will be arriving at the airport about 10:30 - 11:00 AM. My flight is not till 4 PM. We have 6 kids and 6 adults with us. Should we rent a car and go somewhere, or take a taxi? I am just worried that kids are going to go crazy with such a long wait. Any thoughts on what to do? How far is Downtown Disney? Also, could we check in our luggage that early? :rolleyes:

 

I answered this question on the other thread, but here it goes again.

 

You will need to rent three cars or two vans. I would not advise leaving luggage in a van or SUV where it can be seen in a parking lot.

 

You can not check your bags until four hours prior to your flight time. There is no left luggage office at MCO.

 

A taxi to Downtown Disney (you will need two vans--they do not charge extra for the vans but you will need to wait until they can round up two for you) will run you about $110 each, r/t, that doesn't include the tip. There is no place to store luggage at Downtown Disney, so this idea isn't going to work anyhow. Downtown Disney is about a 35 minute drive from MCO.

 

You could get three day rooms at the airport Hyatt and swim.

 

You don't say how old the kids are, but the Orlando Science Center is a fantastic way to spend a day--even if it's raining!

[minniedaisymom]

Based on our experience disembarking at Port Canaveral yesterday, I'd say no. Granted, this was the slowest disembarkation we've ever seen but I'd hate to cut it too close. There is construction going on at the Port that includes the luggage claim area. We waited in lines to disembark for about 45 minutes and then took another 30+ minutes to find our bags, since they weren't in the areas they were supposed to be (we had green Tinkerbell tags, so we went to the Green luggage section, where we were told our luggage was actually over in Purple...whoda thunk?). Just my thoughts. Have fun!!!

[PoopDeckPappy]

I had to make the same choice. I went with the later and waited all afternoon for our flight. Not much fun.

Did the same thing with two kids and vowed that I'd take the early flight the next time (and that's what we did our 2nd dcl cruise, made it with plenty of time). If something happened and I was delayed I was prepared to head to WDW for a night of fun and leave the next day. I realize this might not be an option if one has work the next day (or school for the kids).

[rrfsteve]

I would say that you would make it (very rushed) if everything goes to plan. But if it doesn't, you won't only have a 4 hour wait but you would (more than likely) have to buy new seats at the airport rate ($$$$$$$$).

 

DCL normally docks bang on time, however, every so often they don't. Head winds, sea swells, passenger issues - I could go on. Personally I would go for the later flight and a day room at the Hyatt. A few hours by a pool, napping etc. beats rushing and stressing IMO.

 

EDIT:

I meant to add that we don't know how the extra passengers on the dream will effect debark. It may be the case that it will be staggered debark on the dream, or even longer waits at the terminal.

[Carolla5501]

Generally if you miss the flight MOST airlines will try to get you on the next AVAILABLE flight. Key WORD,"availalbe" That might not be that 3 PM flight you decided NOT to book, it might be a flight 2 days later....... That's why some folks who got stranded due to the storm didn't get to thier destination for 3 or 4 days. If there has also been some other type of weather delay, mechanical delay etc you can see where this can build up. I am rarely on a plane that's not FULL anymore.

 

However, some airlines are not very nice (AKA as don't run late on Spirit for example). So who knows what may happen. The other unknown is "round trip" vs one way booking. I often book one way which means that when I miss the flight it's the 'first" flight. Airlines tend to be less helpful then!

 

And finally you would be flying standby... that means that when the 2, 3, 4, 6, etc. of you are let on the plane you may very well be scattered all over the plane (yes, that includes your cute little kids) It's not considered good form to stand in the aisle and whine about this, it's considered rude since you got yourself into this mess. (sorry, but that's the way flying is now!)

[ducklite]

And don't expect other passengers to switch. These days on many carriers people pay a premium for aisle and window seats, and after paying extra for them, they aren't giving them up so you can sit next to your kids. And the flight attendants aren't going to make them do so, especially because they know these folks have paid a premium for those seats.

 

And don't expect them to help with your kids either--I absolutely won't assist a child sitting next to me because there are too many freak parents who claim people do "things" to their kids when the person was simply trying to be helpful. Frankly it's not worth the risk of being accused of doing something you didn't do.

[hencoll]

Getting off the Dream on a Thurs. (Feb 3rd). Is it feasable to be on

an 11:53 am flight. The next one isn't until 3:30 and I don't want to sit

in an airport for 4 hours w/ a preschooler.

 

We are on the same cruise and since it is the Dream's second sailing in an inaugural year, I expect there will be some kinks to work out with disembarkation for the larger number of passengers carried on the ship. For this reason, I decided to play it safe and book a later flight and a day room at the MCO Hyatt.