Booking Air Through Disney ?

[Melrosgirl]

When you book your air package through Disney, do you end up getting a decent route? Or do you end up getting 3 layovers, etc. along the way? (I hate layovers. I can handle one, but more than that and that means more potential problems, lol.) I would be flying from PA to FL. Normally if I booked it myself, I could get there with one layover (depending on what airport I flew out of). How flexible is Disney with the air? Thanks!

 

[MarkRG]

There have been horror stories recently involving doing the air travel thru Disney. My advice would be to make those arrangements separately.

 

[DreamsDoComeTrue]

I used DCL air as an add-on with the cruise thru my TA. It's our first cruise and I wanted to play it safe, plus, I hadn't discovered these boards yet.

My flight from Denver is requiring a visit to Atlanta on the way, and Dallas on the way back. They used Delta, which does not have a nonstop from Denver. Had I booked my own on Frontier, it would have been nonstop and at the times of my choosing.
To figure out the answer to your question, if your home has a fairly easy route with Delta, then maybe they won't bounce you around any more than your own arraignments would. They 'might' use other airlines as well. Are they flexible? Sure, but it will cost you extra!
The only perk to using DCL air, that I have found, is the guarantee that they'll get you onto that ship one way or another. We'll fly in the day before, and they pay for the room at the MCO Hyatt, and the bus is covered, so that helps out with the cost comparison a bit too.

My biggest problem with the whole air situation was actually with my TA. They wouldn't call DCL to get me the flight numbers (so that I could get seat assignments) and said I needed to get it from DCL myself, back and forth etc... Finally a VERY NICE DCL rep heard my plea and made a conference call to my TA with me, and explained their job to them. SO, if you are booking air directly with DCL, than that won't be a hassle. You'll be able to skip the middle man and get info and docs directly from DCL, as well as accessing your reservation thru their website.
Maybe you could call DCL air (1-800-951-3532) and ask what airlines they would most likely use from your location. They won't give you any firm answer I'm sure, but if you only ask for the 'more likely' airlines, than you can see if any of them have the better routes or not. If none do, than there's your answer.
Next time I'll use D.U!
Good luck and have a great time!

 

[MrsG]

We are DVC members and are cruising on points next July. I booked air through DVC member services and they told me right away the flight #'s and asked which times I wanted. I got the same price as I would have gotten had I booked it myself. In essence, they acted as a TA would.

This past year we cruised using DCL and their air package. Going down was fine but we had a connecting on the way back. We also didn't find out flight numbers or times until 2 weeks before. You can pay an additional $50 pp to get more favorable flights, but it is just as easy to book yourself. You can also purchase disney transfers to the ship separately.

 

[peg2001]

Don't do it! Arrange air travel separately. You will have much more flexibility and will save $$ to boot. "Fly in the day before" is great advice so you don't have to worry about delayed flights and can relax before heading to the port the next morning.

Peg

 

[randytenn]

I agree with booking it yourself. We just got back and wished we had booked the air ourselves. We were booked with a layover on each flight, as well as having a flight that left Orlando at 3:45 p.m. That's a long time to sit in the terminal.

Additionally, at the Port, we tried to check our bags with Northwest, and were told that we would have to be security screened, so we couldn't check them at the port. We would have to put them on the bus, and then carry them to the ticket counter. I was very angry, as we had paid extra to book through Disney, so that we could utilize this service. I know it was not Disney's fault that we were picked for screening (although, they did tell us it was probably because we had a "bulk fare" ticket), but Disney should not offer this service as an incentive to buy through them, if they cannot guarentee delivery of the service.

Next time, we'll book our own flight for the night before, and stay at the Hilton.

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

This will be our 3rd cruise with DCL booked air on both previous - smooth as glass, no problems whatsoever. A single layover each way and for where we're coming from that is minimal. Also for us the savings to book ourselves (without waiting until the last minute and really hoping for a bargain) would have been minimal. To quote my hubby - not worth the hassle of having to remember to do it once those flight dates opened up, repeated correspondence with DCL regarding transfers, etc.

Because we are still quite a way from the trip precise flight numbers for this trip are not available. On both previous trips I was able to obtain those without a problem ~ 60 days in advance to make seat assignment calls. DCL does get you seat assignments but because they are booking large blocks sometimes you get mixed in with folks from other parties - this is an airline issue, not truly DCL.

Also at the time we decided to book our trip the airlines were in one of their phases where talk of price increases and bankruptcies was quite prevalent. Part of our decision was that we knew the price and if there was a problem with an airline ceasing to fly close to cruise time it was DCL's problem, not our's!

A lot depends on your comfort level with ambiguity and desire for ease. The foregoing is simply our experience and preference.

Deb

 

[vixenslc]

We have always booked air travel through DCL. On our three cruises, we have always had direct flights from Salt Lake to Orlando (plus we get a nights stay at the airport hotel) and we have layovers on the way back. We also like the security of our entire trip being booked with one entity.

 

[GinaDice]

We have been on several Disney vacations in the past few years - cruise and parks and have always booked air through Disney. Never had a problem.

If you are doing the cruise one of the great advantages of Disney booking the air is - that they know where you are and if your flight is delayed.

If you are on your own and flights get delayed -you run the risk of missing the ship.

They are going to keep track of a plane full of their guests!

We always have at least one lay over coming from such a small airport. We have been booked on USAir. We will continue to book with Disney air.

Have a great trip.

 

[aalan]

last year we used disney to book our air (we hadnt discovered these boards yet) and we had to complain a LOT to get what was promised: we live in denver, and according to the brochure, they are supposed to fly you in the night before and put you up at mco. well, they had booked us on a red-eye flight the night before that left at 1:00 a.m. and arrived at like 6:00 a.m. after thinking about it, there was NO way we were going to take a red eye.
unfortunately it took several calls from us and our ta before disney finally changed the flights. apparently, disney buys large blocks of the cheapest seats available, so BUYER BEWARE. we are cruising again this march, and we booked our own flight (at a great savings, i might add). we love disney and the cruise line, but the flight arrangements and the way they were handled was the pits.

 

[Melrosgirl]

thanks for your thoughts, everyone! Disney quoted as around $1200 for the air (for 3 of us). I can get it on my own for about $600 and fly in the night before, so I "shouldn't" have any delay problems. With such a big savings, I'll probably book on my own. Although I do see the benefits of booking with them, of course. hmmmmmmm