Flights from Miami to MCO

[Iggipolka]

We're taking a 4 day Disney Cruise out of Miami in Feb and wanted to go to WDW after the cruise. We've got 2 kids who will be 17 months and 4 years old at the time of the trip and I really don't want to do a 6 hour drive from Miami to WDW.
We're flying from California to MCO the day before the cruise, spending one night at the hotel in the airport and then flying down to MIA the next day. We want to break up the trip a bit because it's a super long travel day from coast to coast.
I've been looking at flights from MIA/Fort Lauderdale to MCO and so far it would run us close to $730 for a round trip from MCO to MIA before the cruise and MIA to MCO after the cruise.

Yousa

A train ride would be 5 hours at $189 . but I just can't imagine 5 hours on a train with two young kids.

Spirit seems to be the least expensive airline that flies these routes, but their schedule is pretty miserable. Either a 7am flight from MIA to MCO, which we can't make because we won't be off the ship by then, or a 7pm flight, which means figuring out what to do with the kids all day and then dragging tired, cranky kids on an airplane and ME at 9pm.

So..I'm looking for other ideas. Are there other discount airlines that fly out of FLL or MIA? Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[OKW Lover]

Monika, you might want to look at flying to FLL directly from the left coast. We recently sailed on the Wonder from Miami and it was significantly cheaper to fly to FLL than MIA. Shuttle service from the hotels near FLL to the Port of Miami were $15/person.

But, to your question about flying to MCO after the cruise. That is a lot of money!!! I'd seriously reconsider renting a car and drive even with your two little ones. If that's truly not a good idea, then I would think the train would be the better option considering price. At least on a train you can walk around with the little ones.

 

[sam_gordon]

Driving between Lauderdale & Orlando is 3-3 1/2 hours. Miami is what, another 45 minutes? I don't see flying as the better option.

Even if you fly...
At the airport 2 hours before
1 hour taxiing, flying, and deplaning,
15 -30 minutes to get luggage,
30 min drive to wdw
4 hours total.

So you might save 15 minutes? And it costs HOW much?

 

[Iggipolka]

Hmm..You're right. It is 3.5 hours to drive from the port of Miami to WDW. I was told it would be around 6 hours to do the drive.

Looks like renting the car, giving the 4 year old an iPad to play with and praying the baby sleeps in the car, is going to be the way to go.
If it turns out to be a nightmare, well, it will only be a 3.5 hour nightmare.

Thanks!

 

[Iggipolka]

Monika, you might want to look at flying to FLL directly from the left coast. We recently sailed on the Wonder from Miami and it was significantly cheaper to fly to FLL than MIA. Shuttle service from the hotels near FLL to the Port of Miami were $15/person.

.

Thanks so much for this advice! Just booked SFO to FLL on American/Alaska for $560 for the four of us. Great price!

 

[bumbershoot]

Sounds like you worked it out, but I was thinking about this... "but I just can't imagine 5 hours on a train with two young kids. "...


I only have the one child, but he's been on the train at a few different ages, and it's AWESOME! Scenery, the feel of the train on the rails, the ability to get up and walk around...it's fabulous. I adore the train.