Flight question

[FrenchSnowWhite]

We booked a cruise for November 2007 (please don't grill me I know I'm not on the DCL board!!) we booked the flight with Disney.

Since I'm from Canada (in Quebec in fact) like all of you, I want to know have you ever bought a flight with Disney and ask to arrive a day earlier??

Did it work? What did it cost you??

I've asked the same question on the DCL board, but since people on that board come (well a majority!!!) from the US, I wanted to have an answer from Canadians.

Thanks!

 

[FrenchSnowWhite]

Anyone??? Please I'd like your input Canadian People!!!

 

[mbb]

I wish I could help

I would think Disney would make any arrangements for you, however you wanted them.

JMHO, I think most people do the flight the day of because it's just convenient. When we cruised with NCL, we flew the day before, and just paid the additional hotel charge.

Caught the cruise bus to the port the next early afternoon with all the plane/aiport weary people. We however, had spent the morning lazing around the hotel pool

You could do the same thing, if you wanted, and stay at the MCOHyatt, or at one of the onsite resorts, I would think

Reading the Cruise Boards the little bit I have, it sounds like a good idea to have your arrangements through Disney - ship won't leave without you, and if they have to, it's up to them to get you to the catch up point, apparently..

Someone correct me if I'm wrong..?

I would give DCL a call

HTH!!

 

[Northstar]

Do they offer custom air arrangements (usually costs a bit more than the standard cruise air)?

I've heard from cruising friends that it is really worth it to get this service if offered.

I don't know if this is true for Disney, but apparently most of the cruiselines, if you buy your air tickets through them, wait till a month or two before your trip and then buy THE CHEAPEST (not the most convenient) flights they can that will get you there on time.

With custom air arrangements, they act a little bit more like a travel agent and book your flights according to your preferences.

Anyway, I don't know anything specific about DCL. Might be a good idea to ask them whether you have any input into when you'd like to fly, when you book.

 

[wee-haggis]

Don't book your air through Disney. They'll probably charge way too much.
Its easy to book your own flight to coincide with the departure time of the ship. There are several choices to get from MCO to Port Canaveral (again very easy to book). You'll probably save several hundred dollars.
May I ask what they are charging you for the air portion of your trip?

 

[FrenchSnowWhite]

Don't book your air through Disney. They'll probably charge way too much.
Its easy to book your own flight to coincide with the departure time of the ship. There are several choices to get from MCO to Port Canaveral (again very easy to book). You'll probably save several hundred dollars.
May I ask what they are charging you for the air portion of your trip?

The flight portion for 2 person is 904$ CAN!!!! I check out the fare for the same period this year, and all the company that I've checked (westjet, air canada, etc...) are around 1200-1500$ for the two of us. So it's way cheaper with disney!!! Also I booked with CAA, so maybe that's why!

 

[FrenchSnowWhite]

I wish I could help

I would think Disney would make any arrangements for you, however you wanted them.

JMHO, I think most people do the flight the day of because it's just convenient. When we cruised with NCL, we flew the day before, and just paid the additional hotel charge.

Caught the cruise bus to the port the next early afternoon with all the plane/aiport weary people. We however, had spent the morning lazing around the hotel pool

You could do the same thing, if you wanted, and stay at the MCOHyatt, or at one of the onsite resorts, I would think

Reading the Cruise Boards the little bit I have, it sounds like a good idea to have your arrangements through Disney - ship won't leave without you, and if they have to, it's up to them to get you to the catch up point, apparently..

Someone correct me if I'm wrong..?

I would give DCL a call

HTH!!

You're right, Disney will fly us to the next port if we miss the boat! But the next port is 3 days later! So we really don't want to miss the boat!!!!!

 

[mbb]

Hmmm...I gather you've already booked your flight portion, then?

Are you flying out the morning of your cruise departure?

I have a feeling that if you want to change your date to fly, that you're going to run into change fee/penalties, even this far out.

But I would definitely call CAA.

Let us know what you find out

 

[Northstar]

From what you've said, I'm guessing you've bought what's called "cruise air." The good news is that the cruise line takes responsibility for getting you there in good time for your cruise, and it's usually not too expensive. Also, you don't have to hang out on the Internet looking for deals on airfare for months, wondering when you should book.

The bad news is that you might get a rotten itinerary... you don't get much choice. Also, you will not find out what flights you're on until quite close to your trip.

Sounds as if all our fellow Canadians on this board book their own air, and that's why you're not getting much response.

You could probably get flights on your own equally cheap IF you can cancel without penalty at this point AND you are willing to research ... and have nerves of steel so you don't worry about not having anything booked until you catch a good deal!

Personally, I'd stay with what you have, putting in a request through your travel agent for flights a day earlier. And discuss with the travel agent what you would do for hotel for that night... that could be pricey too and a travel agent can certainly help you find a deal on a hotel.

 

[bbrnca]

The flight portion for 2 person is 904$ CAN!!!! I check out the fare for the same period this year, and all the company that I've checked (westjet, air canada, etc...) are around 1200-1500$ for the two of us. So it's way cheaper with disney!!! Also I booked with CAA, so maybe that's why!

i would find a US airport that is close to you and fly out of there. I am west of TO and flying out of buffalo for about 400.00cnd for myself and DW on US Air. I know SW is alot cheaper but didn't mind the extra to have 3rd row seats. I grew up in MTL (west island) and cannot remeber which airport is the closest to MTL except for Trudeau. the cost out of TO for the 2 of us was over 1000.00 on skyservice and westjet was more, forget AC as they are nuts with there prices.....look south of the boarder for the real bargins....good luck

 

[FrenchSnowWhite]

i would find a US airport that is close to you and fly out of there. I am west of TO and flying out of buffalo for about 400.00cnd for myself and DW on US Air. I know SW is alot cheaper but didn't mind the extra to have 3rd row seats. I grew up in MTL (west island) and cannot remeber which airport is the closest to MTL except for Trudeau. the cost out of TO for the 2 of us was over 1000.00 on skyservice and westjet was more, forget AC as they are nuts with there prices.....look south of the boarder for the real bargins....good luck

The closest one would be in Burlington about 90 minutes from home, but I really want to fly from Montreal because I'm 10 minutes away from Trudeau's airport!

I wrote to DCL explaining my situation, because my wonderfull TA is now on a Disney cruise with is wife, and will be back only next week, but I would like to have an answer ASAP!!!!

 

[FrenchSnowWhite]

My TA assistant called me last night, I finally got my answer for my flight question!!!

So Disney agrees with us arriving a day earlier so we don't miss the boat. No extra charge!

Only condition: stay at the Hyatt hotel in the airport!!! It was my choice of hotel if you could arrive a day earlier, so we are now booked at the Hyatt Real nice hotel as a can see! Can't wait to see it with my own eyes!!!

So, all ends well for us!!!!!