Booking your own air

[sigafoos]

When we cruised in April 01 I booked before finding this board. We used Disney air and paid about 600 more than if I booked it! How many book their own and what times do you reccomend? We will be flying in the day before so there should be no problem missing the ship although it is still a little scary to think something could still pop up! I'm hoping to use some air miles so the savings could be substancial. Since we come from the West coast I would actually like to book a red-eye flight on Thurs. as we will be on the Magic Sat.That should give us a long enough time frame to cover delays Any input from experienced fliers would be very helpful.
Kim

 

[prymsu]

I think a lot of folks on this board would agree that you are better off to book your own air. You have more control over your departure and arrival, and you can save a chunk of change by doing this. You should be fine flying in the day before. That is what my family does in order to have a cushion of time in case of bad weather or flight delays.

 

[CathyCanada]

Check out expedia.com, lowestfare.com or the airlines directly online and you can usually get better rates. Just be sure your flight arrives before 1:30 pm (if using DCL transfers) and doesn't depart before 1 pm on debarkation day. If you are driving or using a Towncar service, you get there pretty quick anyway.
Cathy

 

[pursuethekingdom]

I booked my own last time and I loved it.

Rather than fly early that morning then to the bus then to the boat. I fly out a day early on a nice afternoon flight. Paid the extra money to stay at the airport Hyatt (worth every penny). Woke up - got breakfast - waited for the FIRST busses to the port then started my vacation very relaxed.

I highly reccommend going out a little early to avoid the stress of trying to make it on time.

 

[disneyholic family]

our travel agent was able to get us the cheapest rates available, but we're overseas so that makes a difference...(there are rates that only overseas travelers can obtain when flying within the US....e.g. VUSA tickets)....
in any case, we arrived in orlando on monday for a thursday cruise....with all the distance we were traveling, including a few seas and oceans along the way, i wanted a big cushion of time in case of weather or strikes....(the latter being more likely in the summer...fortunately we only had 'job actions'....painful but not as bad as a strike.....)

 

[westjones]

When IS the first bus to the port from the airport. We liked the idea of flying in early and staying there at the airport hotel and taking the first bus the next day.
DJ

 

[prymsu]

The Hyatt Hotel has buses that leave around 10:00 a.m. Our bus from there was the first one to make it to port.

 

[sigafoos]

Thanks for everyones help! Just like most things I always think I'll save by doing things one way and end up not being able to. I had wanted to fly on a Thurs night red-eye and hang out in a hotel Friday and be fresh for the Sat. sailing but after talking to my daughter thinks that it might be a problem missing school on Friday before spring break. She is a college freshman and feels that there is a good chance they will have tests that day! Since we don't go untill March she doesn't even know what classes she will so talking to the professors is not possible. That means flying a Friday night red-eye arriving and going straight to the port. I don't want to take a chance of any delays to our flight that would cause us to miss the ship and if we book our own and do have delays we are out of luck . So we will book the red-eye through Disney to be safe, if we are delayed at least they will take care of us! Oh well we will just have to save those airmiles for a trip to WDW or a 3rd cruise
Kim

 

[4crusinransiers]

Hi, we are from Washington State also ( Cle elum) and we had a WDW vacation before our cruise. I used priceline and to be safe booked a day behind at the cruise return. Then Booked an airport hotel via hotwire and got the Orlando MCO Hyatt for the night we returned to the port. We flew back to SEATAC the next morning and it worked like a dream....I got the Hyatt MCO for 70.00 a night! Any questions? I'd be happy to answer.