Disney Air and Other Recommendations

[RIDISNEYLOVERS]

We are traveling with a big group - as usual!! Anyway I have a fewquestions forall you DCL experts.

1. Disney air - how much is it usually? Do theyuse non-stop flights? Which airline do they use? (I believe Southwest is theirairline now?!?) Any other information about Disney Air would be great. We are leaving out of Providence, Rhode Island.

2. Would you recommend booking flights and transfers on your own and staying at the Radisson at the port the night before? OR would you book everything through Disney and fly out the day of the cruise?

3. When you book everything through Disney - You check your luggage at your hometown airport - do you pick them up at MCO or does DCL pick them up for you so the next timeyou see your luggage is in your stateroom?

4. What is the going rate at the Radisson at the port?

5. DCL Insuance - whatis it REALLY good for? After having it twice in the past and rereading it weare questioning if we should keep it. Please fill me in, I feel we are missing something with it???

Thanks for all your help!!

Lisa

 

[The4OfUs]

1. My docs are at home, so I'm not sure about the cost, but our flight is on Delta, and on the way down it's non-stop (not "direct", but "Non-stop" - there's a difference). On the way home it's with a layover and plane change in Pittsburg. This is to/from Boston.

2. We booked everything through DCL through my MIL, who is a TA - and we could have saved money doing it the other way - about $200. But we need a real stress free vacation and I didn't want to deal with setting everything up - I want to get to the airport, say "Here we are, now deal with us!", and relax, and this way we're all set. It DID mean that we got our docs almost last, because we booked air with Disney...oh and we booked a night before in the Hyatt through DCL as well, so they do have that option. Coming from the Northeast, we didnt' want to risk it.

3. Depends on if you're staying the night before or not. If you are, then you get the bags...if not then what you said is right I believe.

4. no clue!

5. We cancelled the DCL insurance and got a better rate and way better coverage for everything from cancelled flights to pre-existing conditions like my daughter's asthma through TravelGuard (I think - again all my docs are at home!) It's worth it for us for the peace of mind...if someone gets sick on board, for example, and has to be airlifted, the cost is astronomical and this can help. Better safe than sorry for us.

 

[randytenn]

You can usually get much cheaper airfare than Disney's, but we have always used Disney's air. The way I figure, if the flight that Disney booked me on gets cancelled, delayed or whatever, it's Disney's problem. They will have to hold the boat, or rebook me, etc. The price difference is worth the peace of mind, as The4ofus said.

And you don't have to carry your bags. Put them on the plane, and they are delivered to your room! Carry them back through customs, and they are checked at the terminal (unless you get tagged for additional security, as we did on our last cruise. )

 

[mmouse37]

Lisa,

We have done it both ways...booking with DCL and on our own. Yes, it is convenient having DCL book everything but they fly you down the day of the cruise and they do not guarantee that your whole family will be on the same flight. You can also be put on connecting flights and flights that get you to the port after 1 or 2 in the afternoon.

I much prefer to book our own air and save TONS of money...especially with a family of 5. This way I have control over what flight and what day (we go a day or 2 early) we fly.

We have stayed at the Radisson before and we like it there but this time we are trying the Doubletree Resort in Cocoa Beach which I was able to get for $39.00 per night via Priceline. For rates at the Radisson check out www.Radisson.com and put in Cocoa Beach for the City. Also make sure you click on the link that says SHOW ALL RATES for all available rates at the time you you going.

We book our insurance through AccessAmerica at their website (same co. DCL uses) for about half the cost of DCL Insurance. By booking insurance this way we are covered for our cruise and our flight. I believe in another post there is a link to AccessAmerica's AAA site which is offering insurance for kids under 18 for free.

We find it cheaper to rent an SUV or minivan for our transport to the Port and back to the airport (two separate ressies). DCL transfers are about $50 pp so it really adds up. We are using Budget next month for our trip.

If you book DCL air you will not see your bags until they are delivered to your stateroom, but the money I can save doing my own air and rental car vs. DCL air and transfers more than makes up for the convenience, at least to me.

Good luck with your decision. It is a lot of personal preference.
MJ

 

[Hygiene99]

Flying out of RI. u should be able to get a great rate on Southwest .... I would say less than 200.00 p/p

nonstop each way .... watch there website.... it is not
yet avaliable for booking for the date u may be traveling ....
we usaully get there internet rate .....

I would not book DCL air ...to much money

 

[bostonlass]

I booked my April 18th cruise through expedia and got the air through disney so that I wouldn't have to worry as well. Does anyone know when I'll find out what flight I'm on and the times and all that? Seems weird to me that they wouldn't know what time it leaves.

 

[The4OfUs]

If you booked air thru DCL, you'll find out your air 30 days before. That's when they open it up for seat assignments and such. You'll get your docs about a week after that, or that's what happened with us.

 

[RIDISNEYLOVERS]

Thanks for all the information everyone!! We are going to be starting our "DCL family meeting" that we have each month before we go so I will relay this valuable information to the group and see what everyone wants to do.

Personally I would like a non-stop flight out the night before and stay in a hotel. My sister works for the Radisson Airport Hotel here in RI so we are hoping she can get an employee discount!!

Thanks again for your input and I am sure I will be asking more questions.

Lisa