Florida Resident Booking & Discount

[AprilJ]

Is there a Florida Resident discount when booking a cruise out of Port Canaveral? I live in Alabama and typically do all of our family trip planning but my IL'S will be living in Florida as of 10/1 and I wonder if my MIL books our cabin would we be eligible for a discount? There would be 3 of us in the cabin, 2 adults and 1 child and only she is a FL resident. If both my IL'S decide to travel could they book both cabins and we decide who sleeps where after? Thanks for your help.

[moki'smommy]

There must be one FL resident in any cabin booked with this code (FLR). You have a very limited time, I believe 48 hours, to fax proof of residency to DCL to confirm the FL res rate. It is not a discount in the sense of a certain percentage off. It is a special rate made available on those cruises that are not selling particularly well. They are listed on the DCL web site under "specials" as well as on several travel agent sites. Currently there are no Fl res specials listed, but I'd expect them to become available soon as fall is a low season for cruises.

 

SO, yes, if both of your in laws book, you can get 2 cabins under the FL res rates. Or if one of them cruises, you can get one cabin. No one really cares who sleeps where, only who books where. You might look at connecting cabins (with an interior door between the two cabins) if you are getting 2.

 

There is a list of documents that can count for the FLR code--driver's license, utility bills, etc. You won't be able to book with the code till they actually have that document in hand. You can view the entire list on the DCL or WDW web sites.

[AprilJ]

Great info, thank you! They will be permanent residents as of 10/1/15 and we won't book til May of 16 for Oct of 17, so we should be all set. 👍

[moki'smommy]

Great info, thank you! They will be permanent residents as of 10/1/15 and we won't book til May of 16 for Oct of 17, so we should be all set. 👍

 

If you are planning to cruise Oct 2017, you will not see FL resident rates available until August or September 2017 (most likely). Occasionally they are announced earlier than that, but they tend to be relatively close to the cruise dates.

[AprilJ]

If we book early, will they apply the discount after the fact if we call and ask for it?

[moki'smommy]

If we book early, will they apply the discount after the fact if we call and ask for it?

 

They used to....but there have been a lot of policy changes recently. I would call a good travel agent who is a full service agent with an 800 number who can give you the correct answer. There are at least 2 such agents located in Florida who do a huge amount of Disney business and will be happy to give you the current correct answer. In addition, they'll give you a nice onboard credit as a "thanks for booking with us" gift. To get any discount, you (or the TA) will have to call DCL and request it. They won't change a rate automatically. And the FLR code was one of the very few that you could add after the penalty date and get the better rate.

 

If you know what you want, book as early as you can to get the best possible rate. Then, if an FLR comes out, it's a bonus. If not, you still got a good rate on your vacation.

Edited August 8, 2015 by moki'smommy

[AprilJ]

Thank you Moki'smommy! I've read that Oct 17 rates should be released May 16, does that sound about right? Do they allow for changes, such as one week to another without penalty? Our fall break should be the same year to year but I can't be 100% certain til the school schedule is released in Aug of 16.

[moki'smommy]

The release you mentioned sounds reasonable, but there is honestly no way to guarantee what DCL might do as far as a release date. All we can do is guess based on past years. In general, the Dream and Fantasy cruises are released 15-18 months before the cruises. They will, essentially do the same sort of cruises they are doing now and will definitely be out of Port Canaveral.

 

Magic and Wonder releases are often later as they are doing more creative trips.

 

You can move a cruise from one week to another, but you will pay the current rate for that new booking. It is basically a cancel and rebook situation. No penalty provided you do it before the penalty period starts (that's 90 days before sailing for the cruises you are looking at).

 

So...if you booked Oct 10 on the day it was released and need to change to Oct 17....you don't get to keep your original booking rate. You pay whatever the new rate is on the day you book the new one.