11:50 return flight

[Mrspeaks]

I’m having a hard time finding a return flight that is a good price and reasonable times. I know the recommendation is to book a flight after 12:30, but would 11:50 work? We could do private transfer if needed.

 

[My2Qtz0205]

I think you will be ok. Plan to walk off the ship as soon as they clear customs.

 

[Mrspeaks]

I think you will be ok. Plan to walk off the ship as soon as they clear customs.

Do you think I would need private transfer versus DCL transportation?

 

[My2Qtz0205]

I would, to be safe. I recommend Happy Limo!

 

[cruiser21]

Do you think I would need private transfer versus DCL transportation?

No. Take DCL transfer. If you do express walk off you'll probably find yourself at the airport by 830 with 3 hours to kill.

 

[Mrspeaks]

No. Take DCL transfer. If you do express walk off you'll probably find yourself at the airport by 830 with 3 hours to kill.

With express walk off, do you have time to eat breakfast? You carry your own bags right?

 

[cruiser21]

With express walk off, do you have time to eat breakfast? You carry your own bags right?

You take your own bags. You can eat at Cabanas they open a 6 or 630. A lot of people take the DCL bus. As soon as it loads it leaves. They don't wait around they know people have flights to catch. By the time you get on the bus until you arrive at the airport is about 45 minutes.

 

[DebHorner04]

We had a 12:10 flight last April. Put our bags out the night before, had breakfast, took DCL transfers, and had plenty of time at the airport.

 

[MomOTwins]

I have an 11:35am flight. Maybe that is cutting it close, but doing the math, even if we aren't able to get off the boat until 8:30 (we plan to leave much sooner), that still gets us to the airport by 9:30, 2 hours before our flight. That is plenty of time if you ask me! I think Disney sometimes is a little overkill when it comes to MCO. The last time we stayed at Magic Kingdom, we missed our Magical Express (which was scheduled FOUR HOURS before our flight time) because one of our kiddos fell ill in the night before we departed. Mercifully they let us on a different magical express an hour later, but they refused to check in our luggage, and gave tons of warnings about how we were sure to miss our flight. We carried our own bags, checked in, went through security, and still waited around the airport more than two hours to board. MCO is really not that big of an airport.

Others with more experience let me know if I am completely off base, but the flight options for us were either 11:35 or 5:30, and I did not want to spend all day stuck at MCO.

 

[Dug720]

I have an 11:35am flight. Maybe that is cutting it close, but doing the math, even if we aren't able to get off the boat until 8:30 (we plan to leave much sooner), that still gets us to the airport by 9:30, 2 hours before our flight. That is plenty of time if you ask me! I think Disney sometimes is a little overkill when it comes to MCO. The last time we stayed at Magic Kingdom, we missed our Magical Express (which was scheduled FOUR HOURS before our flight time) because one of our kiddos fell ill in the night before we departed. Mercifully they let us on a different magical express an hour later, but they refused to check in our luggage, and gave tons of warnings about how we were sure to miss our flight. We carried our own bags, checked in, went through security, and still waited around the airport more than two hours to board. MCO is really not that big of an airport.

Others with more experience let me know if I am completely off base, but the flight options for us were either 11:35 or 5:30, and I did not want to spend all day stuck at MCO.

I would just be prepared with a back-up plan in case TSA at MCO is its normal cluster. I was flying out on a late flight a couple of weeks ago and the regular line was easily an hour and a half at least of disorganized chaos. Even Pre-Check took about 30 minutes because the airlines randomly give it to people who still try to do everything you'd do in the regular line or (like the gems in front of me) think that getting Pre-Check means they can bring on full bottles of liquid, etc. and try to argue.

Personally I'd go with the 5:30 and look into a day room at the Hyatt - much more relaxing end to a vacation IMHO than running to try and catch a plane before they close the doors because I didn't want to hang around and risked it knowing how bad TSA at MCO is.

 

[bobbiwoz]

On Sunday we ate at Tiana’s at 7, took DCL transfers after getting our bags and got to MCO about 9:10. We did not book an 11:30 Flight, waited until 4:15. The next time we would risk the 11:30 flight.

 

[Shanti]

I’m having a hard time finding a return flight that is a good price and reasonable times. I know the recommendation is to book a flight after 12:30, but would 11:50 work? We could do private transfer if needed.

Yes, it's a great post-cruise flight time. DCL actually recommends flights out no earlier than 11:30, not 12:30. We had an 11:50am Jet Blue flight out after our Fantasy cruise, and even stayed for our second seating breakfast. Took the DCL transfer bus to the airport, and we still had to wait over an hour before boarding began for our flight.

If you're worried, leave right when the ship opens & take the DCL transfer bus, which is the fastest & surest way to get into the airport. But you'll have plenty of time.

With express walk off, do you have time to eat breakfast? You carry your own bags right?

You can get food from Cabanas before Express Walk-Off, and yes, you carry your own bags if not using Onboard Airline Check-In. If you're on a participating airline, I recommend using Onboard Airline check-in, which will save you time at the airport, and save you from carrying your bags.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We fly SW, so do not have Disney’s option of check in.

 

[MomOTwins]

I would just be prepared with a back-up plan in case TSA at MCO is its normal cluster. I was flying out on a late flight a couple of weeks ago and the regular line was easily an hour and a half at least of disorganized chaos. Even Pre-Check took about 30 minutes because the airlines randomly give it to people who still try to do everything you'd do in the regular line or (like the gems in front of me) think that getting Pre-Check means they can bring on full bottles of liquid, etc. and try to argue.

Personally I'd go with the 5:30 and look into a day room at the Hyatt - much more relaxing end to a vacation IMHO than running to try and catch a plane before they close the doors because I didn't want to hang around and risked it knowing how bad TSA at MCO is.

Usual? You mean you've experienced hour+ waits more than once? I've flown out of MCO many times and never waited more than 20 minutes at security, but now you have me wondering. With three little kids and one that does not swim, a day at a hotel is not relaxing for us.

 

[My2Qtz0205]

Kind of off-topic, but on the days we have had no choice but to take a late afternoon flight, we have rented a car and spent the day in Disney Springs. Much more to do there than at the airport, and we ddin’t have to walk around with our luggage all day!

 

[mareed]

Yes, it's a great post-cruise flight time. DCL actually recommends flights out no earlier than 11:30, not 12:30. We had an 11:50am Jet Blue flight out after our Fantasy cruise, and even stayed for our second seating breakfast. Took the DCL transfer bus to the airport, and we still had to wait over an hour before boarding began for our flight.
If you're worried, leave right when the ship opens & take the DCL transfer bus, which is the fastest & surest way to get into the airport. But you'll have plenty of time.
You can get food from Cabanas before Express Walk-Off, and yes, you carry your own bags if not using Onboard Airline Check-In. If you're on a participating airline, I recommend using Onboard Airline check-in, which will save you time at the airport, and save you from carrying your bags.

Agree with all the above and pointing out that Disney recommends no earlier than 11:30 from Port Canaveral. We had 11:25 flight on SW last month and did express walk-off for the first time, though we didn't leave immediately when they first announced it around 7:00. They announced general debarkation around 7:20 for all luggage tags which surprised me because I expected it to be in groups, and we left a few minutes after that. There was no line anywhere and we walked right through customs and to our Disney bus. Didn't have to wait too long before the bus left, and we even arrived at the SW counter to check our bags too early and they wouldn't take them! I think it was a little before 9:00, so around 2.5 hours before the flight and due to the construction they were only taking bags 2 hours before, but had us leave them in an attended area across the hall. It made me nervous to not yet have our bags officially checked in, but they did make it home.

 

[Tasmen]

We had an 11:40am flight this last time and used Happy Limo to get to the airport. We had them pick us up at 8:30 and got to the airport in ample time.

 

[Dug720]

Usual? You mean you've experienced hour+ waits more than once? I've flown out of MCO many times and never waited more than 20 minutes at security, but now you have me wondering. With three little kids and one that does not swim, a day at a hotel is not relaxing for us.

I have Pre-Check now, but I have been through MCO multiple times and it is ALWAYS a cluster at TSA. Before I had Pre-Check I never got through in less than an hour - it was usually more. And I get VERY grumpy when people behind me didn't plan ahead and think they have the right to get through.

 

[cruiser21]

The last time I was at mco the line went all the way through the mall. They treated everyone like they were tsa precheck to get the line moving. No taking anything out of bags, no shoes off etc. We made it through in about 40 minutes. There's a lot of people coming from the port that arrive at mco at the same time on Saturday mornings. I'm not sure how many ships are debarking, but I know there's more then just the Fantasy. Even with all this we still had 2 hours to kill before a 1045 am flight. I wouldn't think twice about booking a 1150 flight. Just be off the ship at 730.

 

[Shanti]

We fly SW, so do not have Disney’s option of check in.

Yes, it is such a bummer that they won't. We're lucky that Jet Blue also flies our route, so I always try to schedule SWA on the way in, and Jet Blue on the way out, so we can use the service. I love any service that allows up to not have to carry around our bags during travel.