XPost- Bridgeport-Port Jefferson Ferry/Islip

[Goofygirl17]

luvmarypoppins- The directions they gave me are:
rt 112 to County rt 83 to the LIE (495) toward NY, exit 57 Veteran's Hwy (south) and the airport entrance is on the left.

Another one: 112 get off at 347 east to county rt 83 to sunrise hwy to vets hwy. (Is sunrise highway the LIE?)

Bren's Mom- that's what I got from mapquest too.

5 for WDW- That's great advice- Thanks! I hadn't thought of that since I've never been on a big ferry!

Thanks everyone! Please feel free to add any and all advice!

Goofygirl

 

[LSchrow]

Thanks! I felt pretty sure of my plan until I read the last two transportation board posts saying I was cutting it too close and could miss my plane! I have a DD with anxiety so I need to make this as stress free as possible but also limit the amount of downtime so she doesn't get too worried about the flight!

Goofygirl

since i'm one of the "other" posters, i'll chime in.......
our house is about 20 minutes to ISP without traffic.
however, in just the past 10 "home to ISP" trips, we have had two times take over an hour (accident, construction), another about 45 minutes (seat belt check), & about 3 that took 20 minutes to get to the ISP entrance, and an additional 30-45 minutes b/c the lots were full, & then the check-in lines long (this when we took the 2nd flight in the morning out, rather than the first). btw, we norm don't bother with the shuttle, unless it is in the lot when we are (else you can wind up waiting).
so, absolutely, positively, it can be done ~ or the stars might not be in alignment, there may be any one of a million things that can happen (including getting lost). like a few of the other posters that responded, some just prefer a "no stress" buffer (we once had a limo driver that "knew" how long it would take to get to LGA, & on a perfect day, it would have. however, one of those million things happened ~ and we missed our flight ).
it is from personal experience that posters on the other thread recommended having a buffer. for many, getting there a bit early & stress-free (great time to have an extra cup of coffee ) is worth getting up an hour earlier. however, everyone is not the same: certainly go with what you're comfortable with.
have a good trip

 

[Goofygirl17]

Thanks LSchrow! I wasn't being critical of anyone so I hope I didn't sound that way. I appreciate all of the advice I've gotten. I think it's great that everyone is helping a complete stranger plan a trip to Disney Part of my problem is that I have to work a half day (I'm really not supposed to leave early but I am anyway) and that DD has anxiety so we can't have too much down time either or she will get more and more anxious the longer we wait. So... I'm trying to weigh all of my options and make the best plan I can.

Thanks again!
Goofygirl

PS- I've also had trips that took a lot longer than planned- a 9 hour ride home from VA Beach took almost 14

 

[Goofygirl17]

5for WDW- So when we get to the ferry should the girls and I go get in line while DH waits in the line of cars? I put a deposit for the car but I know I have to pay for the passengers. I think we go check in after we get the car onboard, right?

Thanks!
Goofygirl

 

[Goofygirl17]

bump

 

[summerrluvv]

luvmarypoppins- The directions they gave me are:
rt 112 to County rt 83 to the LIE (495) toward NY, exit 57 Veteran's Hwy (south) and the airport entrance is on the left.

Another one: 112 get off at 347 east to county rt 83 to sunrise hwy to vets hwy. (Is sunrise highway the LIE?)

Bren's Mom- that's what I got from mapquest too.

5 for WDW- That's great advice- Thanks! I hadn't thought of that since I've never been on a big ferry!

Thanks everyone! Please feel free to add any and all advice!

Goofygirl

112 to 83 to the LIE is your best bet. During 5pm rush hour I can make it from the LIE and 83 (I work there) to my house in about 15 minutes. Avoid 347 at all costs. I travel that route frequently and the traffic lights are horrendeous.

 

[Goofygirl17]

Thanks!

 

[dianthus]

we booked out of islip too because of the airfare savings-we saved over $1000+ for our april break flights & we got nonstops at civil times. we live in danbury, ct & usually fly out of bradley too. We have an 11:15 am flight on a Friday.

We did a dry run to see if there was any construction going down, see the airport & how everything was set up. It took us 1 hr. 45 min with moderate to heavy traffic & construction on the Throggs Neck Bridge. So we figure we will budget 2 hours to get there. Leave at 7am to get there by 9am- 2 hours ahead of our flight. If it takes a little longer, we'll still be ok. The airport is really nice, much smaller than Bradley & very easy to navigate. The long term parking is 11.50 a day & not that far, even without a shuttle. The short term parking is 12.50 a day & is a little closer to the terminal. Curbside checkin is available, but all members of your party must show id to check bags. If your husband drops you off & parks the car, he will need to come back to check his bags. Security lines looked liked they moved very smoothly.

To calm your fears why don't you do a weekend excursion/dry run on the ferry with your family before the trip. It could be fun. Visit Port. Jeff on the way home. It's an adorable little town. You can get a sense of where you are going, the roads will be familiar & you can get a general idea of timing. The Friday afternoon ferrys are almost as busy as the weekend ones. Yes, it will cost you a ferry trip back & forth, but with the money you are saving on air & the peace of mind you'll get knowing where you are going may be well worth it!

Good luck!

 

[Goofygirl17]

Thanks Dianthus- That's a great idea! Mapquest estimates it would take us 2 hours and 45 min to drive there so we figured that we were safer taking the ferry. That way we won't hit traffic and the kids can get up and move around rather than sitting in the car for almost 3 hours before they get on a plane for 3 hours. When are you going-This Friday?

Goofygirl

 

[Jenna45]

Will you let me know how it works for you, I never thought of doing that but I live in Niantic and I think I can get the Ferry from New London..

 

[Goofygirl17]

We checked out the ferry from New London- it takes the same amount of time to cross the sound (1 1/2 hours) but lands at the far end of the island so it's longer to drive to the airport from there.

Goofygirl

 

[dianthus]

Goofygirl17 - we are leaving on 4/11. My dd's Spring Break is the w/o 4/14, so we're taking her out of school a day early. We're taking a couple of her friends along since it's her 17th birthday that week, so it should be alot of fun!

Doing a dry run helped allieviate our concerns, as going to JFK/LGA is such a hassle compared to Bradley. Islip is a half hour longer for us than JFK/LGA but is so much easier because of it's size.

We've done the ferry many times. My sister lives in the hamptons. Your plan to do walk on entry with the kids & get a table is a good one. Arriving early will help get you in the front, which will help when you reach Port Jeff unloading.

When are you leaving? Let's hope for awesome April Fla. weather. I am a little tired of our New England weather right about now...

 

[Goofygirl17]

Dianthus- We're leaving on the 11th also I can't wait for the nice, warm weather!!

 

[5 for WDW]

5for WDW- So when we get to the ferry should the girls and I go get in line while DH waits in the line of cars? I put a deposit for the car but I know I have to pay for the passengers. I think we go check in after we get the car onboard, right?

Thanks!
Goofygirl

So sorry I did not see this.

When you get in the lane that they tell you to go in, your DH will go in to pay and get your tickets. As soon as he comes out, take your kids and whatever you will need on the boat, the amount of tickets you will need, leaving him with the driver ticket and walk up to either the line of people waiting to walk on (Depending on how early you are that can be as soon as the last car pulls off) or if they are loading cars already, hand your ticket to the person standing there and walk on. Wow..what a run on sentence...lol.

Your DH will have to go and check in as soon as you enter the ferry lanes.

If you have any questions, you can ask someone working there. They are usually quite helpful. As I said in my other posts, this has really caught on so, you will see others doing it and can follow them.

I see other families without a table trying to juggle everything and it does not look fun!

Hope this helps!!

 

[Bren's Mom]

Unless they changed the procedure very recently...you pay for all tickets on the boat....'walk ons' and vehicles. So you can just skip the part about going inside and paying for the tickets...you don't need tickets to get on. They verify that they have the right # of people when you get off. So once your dh drives onto the ferry and you all walk onto the ferry then someone goes to the ticket counter on the ferry and pays for a car + driver + additional passengers and will be given a 2 part ticket. When the ferry is docking in PJ, after everyone has been requested to return to their vehicles, they come around and get 1 copy of your 2 part receipt. They have to get one from every vehicle before they let you off. (And anyone who is a true 'walk on' must have a ticket to exit the boat as well.)

 

[5 for WDW]

Unless they changed the procedure very recently...you pay for all tickets on the boat....'walk ons' and vehicles. So you can just skip the part about going inside and paying for the tickets...you don't need tickets to get on. They verify that they have the right # of people when you get off. So once your dh drives onto the ferry and you all walk onto the ferry then someone goes to the ticket counter on the ferry and pays for a car + driver + additional passengers and will be given a 2 part ticket. When the ferry is docking in PJ, after everyone has been requested to return to their vehicles, they come around and get 1 copy of your 2 part receipt. They have to get one from every vehicle before they let you off. (And anyone who is a true 'walk on' must have a ticket to exit the boat as well.)

Maybe they do things differently on school breaks but, we always go over for Winter break (Feb) and have always had to go inside, pay and get our tickets for the ferry.
When I go to walk on with the kids they ask for our tickets right in the parking lot before we walk on. DH then drives on and gives them his ticket.

We were just there last month and had to go inside.

Could it be different for reservations?? We always have them and pay over the phone.

 

[Bren's Mom]

That's so odd...nearly every month either we go over or my mom comes here to CT and I've never purchased a ticket inside. I just called the Bpt/Port Jeff Ferry office in Bridgeport and they said all tickets must be purchased on the boat which is how I've done it for all these years that my parents have lived in East Hampton.

Maybe we're talking about different ferries? Do you come over on the New London/Orient Point Ferry maybe? That one does require you to purchase tickets in the office before you get on.

 

[5 for WDW]

That's so odd...nearly every month either we go over or my mom comes here to CT and I've never purchased a ticket inside. I just called the Bpt/Port Jeff Ferry office in Bridgeport and they said all tickets must be purchased on the boat which is how I've done it for all these years that my parents have lived in East Hampton.

Maybe we're talking about different ferries? Do you come over on the New London/Orient Point Ferry maybe? That one does require you to purchase tickets in the office before you get on.

LOL...That is exactly what I did...I was thinking of the New London ferry. Boy, am I goof!!
Sorry about that!! I guess the kids being home from school for 11 days has fried my brain!!!

 

[Bren's Mom]

LOL!!! That's ok...we all have those moments...

And what a small world! My dad loves it out there...always someone to play tennis with...but my mom...eh...she's having a hard time making friends, she doesn't think people are as friendly as she's used to...so I'm trying to get them to move back to CT. I don't mind the ferry with the kids...or even the length of the drive...but that traffic, especially in the summer!

OK op...we got that all straightened out now...you CAN do what 5 for WDW suggested...it's a great idea to walk on with the kids so you can get a good seat, let dh drive on...you just don't have to worry about the tickets until you're onboard/disembarking.

 

[dianthus]

goofygirl17- one more thing about the ferry at bridgeport. call & make a ressie! with most of new england on school vacation, it may get crowded on Friday ( other people may be doing what we both are doing & flying out of Islip a day early! ) If you arrive early, those with ressies have priority to get in line first, which is what you want- first in, first out. I've always done what Bren's Mom said- paid inside once you are onboard. I've never done the Orient Point one, it sounds like it's different.