Debarkation - Killin' Time

[bwbuddy]

On debarkation Day, our return flight doesn't leave until 3:30pm; do you recommend returning to the airport upon debarkation, or killing time in some other way (we'll be using a pickup service)?

 

[Cruise04]

If you are going back to that airport in Orlando, that's about a 2 hour drive from port which could put you there about 11-12 and you SHOULD be (or it is requested) at the airport by 2pm at the latest. So that really doesn't give you much time to kill. But if you are flying out of Orlando airport - they have a nice Disney store there (for the last minute addiction), they have a nice Universal (yes, eek, I said that word) store and some other nice and unique shops.

 

[bostonlass]

Well I hope I get there much before that since my flight leaves at 12:40!!

 

[Cruise04]

I thought they changed the debarktation times also so I'm not sure about that. I could have sworn that I read you don't have to debark until 11 or something like that. If that is the case then bwbuddy won't have much free time because that would put you at the airport about the time that you should be there. As for bostonlass - I don't know if that is the latest you can debark and you can debark earlier than that or what the case is. I just remember reading that somewhere. Hopefully someone else can help you with that answer.

 

[Zandy595]

I've heard it only takes about an hour to get to the Orlando airport from Port Canaveral.

Dave's site says 52 minutes.

 

[Cruise04]

Maybe it is an hour - it's been 9 months ago and I can't really remember since I didn't drive (my husband did). Sorry if I confused someone by saying it was 2 hours.

 

[Zandy595]

DisneyCruise.com shows debarkation time 8:30 am.

Cast Members would not have much time to get the ship ready for the next cruise if people didn't debark until 11am. Embarkation begins around 11:30 am.

 

[mickeymo]

we had the late seating dinner had late seating breakfast (8:30) - early seating dinner had 6:45 seating for breakfast. There's always topsiders as an option to be ready early. The boat was cleared for disembarkation as we were heading to breakfast at 8:30. Because our flight wasn't until 6:00 we had a leasurely breakfast and still made it to the airport with Disney transport before noon.

The airport was packed with delayed flights due to Pres. Bush's arrival. We camped out in the chairs by the Disney Transport area - it was torture watching everyone excitedly leave for their trip - but, it was quiet and comfortable. my dd(6) even curled up under a chair for a nap.

 

[mmouse37]

Everyone must be off the ship by 9:00 am the latest.....as another poster said....EMBARKATION time was pushed up from about 12:00-12:30 to 11:30-11:45 or so.

MJ

 

[crisi]

You can get a day room at the Hyatt. You can hang around the airport and shop (which is what we did - don't go through security til you are done though, in Orlando, all the good stuff is before you go through security). You can switch your pick up service to a rental car and visit the outlet mall, or Disney Quest, or DTD or even take a few hours in a water park.

We had luggage problems getting off the ship, so it took a little longer for us to leave than we thought. We had early breakfast and didn't hit the road until almost 9:00 am. We then had to make a stop for a potty break, but were still at the airport by 10:00 or shortly after. The kids hadn't had much breakfast, so we bought muffins, juice and coffee. Then I took the kids off shopping while my husband sat and read. They poked through the Universal store and the Disney store and the SeaWorld store. Then we had lunch at Chili's. After lunch, we swapped - my husband took them down to the other end of the airport (another Disney store!) and I watch luggage. By then it was 1:30 and time to head through the security line. The kids watched a movie (OK, Spongbob episodes) on the DVD player we had along, we read, and we were on the plane.

(On the way to the airport, I think we were under 45 minutes. Our Towncar driver was "making good time." Its a little farther from Disney).

 

[Cruise04]

That's what it was - embarkation was changed. Sorry for the confusion - I knew I had read something that had "barkation" in it. My apologies!

 

[MissDisneyTeach]

We had early breakfast at 6:45. Got in line to leave at about 8 or so. Took the shuttle to Budget and was pulling into Downtown Disney at about 10:00. We shopped a while, ate at Rainforest, then shopped some more! On the way to airport we stopped at the Premium outlet mall and shopped at one of the Disney outlet stores. Left for the airport at about 2-2:30 and got there in plenty of time for our 5:00 flight.

Just make sure you call the airline and check your flight on the day you are leaving and going home. We met a family of 7(including a little boy--about 18 months old) at our gate that missed their flight. The time of their flight had been moved earlier. When they got there, they wouldn't let them on. Their flight was about 2 flights before our 5:00 one and they were still waiting. All the flights were full! The airline told them it could be up to 2 days, before they could get them home. Unless they wanted to upgrade to 1st class for a huge amount of $$$$.

have fun!

 

[hydster]

Our flight got changed to a 5pm departure so we got a day room at the hyatt. It is 60 dollars for the day but we felt with 3 kids it was well worth the $$$ so they could have somewhere to chill. Also if you are using one of the airlines at the port you can check in all of your checked luggage there and just take a day bag with you (much more convenient than dealing with luggage) and I would say that you would be at the airport by about 10:30 at the very latest...that still gives you plenty of time to use the day room at the hyatt, use the pool, chill on a bed and watch tv eat some lunch at one of the restaurants and then about 1 1/2 hours before you are to leave you can just hop down to the gate and be rested for your flight home. We are doing a car service too but we felt that we would be exhausted after getting up that early and that we would probably be ready to just do nothing.


Heidi