Flying to Orlando

[lovethatdisney]

I know this is an easy question for you regular cruisers but this is my first. We were going to drive but are now considering flying.

How does it work when flying into Orlando? How do we get from the airport to the ship? Do we fly in the day we leave or should we fly in the night before? Where would we stay if we did that?

We cruise on Sunday Aug 3rd - please help. I'd like to get some airline resrvations squared away.

Thanks for all your help!

 

[Luckymommyx2]

Welcome my fellow Marylander!

First, I would recommend booking your own airfare and plan going down the night before. You can choose to stay at one of the local hotels or the Hyatt which is located in the airport.

As far as transfers you could rent a car and drive yourself, book the DCL transfers or take a limo/towncar.

Personally we are flying down the day before, staying at the Hyatt and then taking a Cartier limo to port the next day. You will have many people doing many different things. Look into all of them and see what works best for you. Feel free to PM me if you have any additional questions. Good Luck!!

 

[rae519]

HI!

We are cruising on August 2 on the Magic and are flying in from Indy that morning.

We haven't decided if we are going to use the Disney transfers or a limo service. We have used Disney transfers in the past and were happy with them.



Rae

 

[Buckaroo's Dad]

Hi lovethatdisney!

How does it work when flying into Orlando?

If it's a "name" airline, the pilot will handle all the flying...

How do we get from the airport to the ship?

From the posts I have read most cruisers either use the DCL transfers or hire a limo/town car (we did the town car which proved to be delightful.) I guess you could walk but I wouldn't recommend it...

Do we fly in the day we leave or should we fly in the night before?

On our first cruise we flew in the same day. Emotional exhaustion sets in rather quickly. I'd recommend arriving the day before and simply relax.

Where would we stay if we did that?

It seems as though some cruisers stay at the Radisson on the day prior to sailing. It is located very close to where the ships dock which is a welcome convenience...


Wishing you a terrific Disney vacation!

 

[inkkognito]

We like to book our own airfare and fly in the night before. But rather than heading to the port area, we book an MCO area hotel via Priceline for the night. We can usually get the MCO Marriott for $28 (we always bid for a four-star). Then we have Happy Limo pick us up in the morning, after a refreshing sleep. On our trip this weekend, we had them pick us up at 10:00 a.m., and even with a quick grocery stop, we were at the port by 11.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[Gillian]

Flying in the night before is the least stressful option! And staying at the airport, using Priceline as Barb suggested, is the least expensive way. Staying at the Raddisson costs more but I think it gets people in the mood faster! Plus you're close to the port & can sleep in a little bit.

In August you shouldn't have any problems with delayed flights, but we did once experience almost a full day of flight cancellations to/from the northeast (including MD) due to summer storms (July 16th). We were on our way home to NJ & were forced to spend the night in Florida. Because of that, we always fly in the night before.

 

[lovethatdisney]

Thses are all great suggestions and will definitely help in my decision making process.

Does anyone one have a current cost on the DCL transfers?

 

[Dodie]

I would recommend flying in the day before and getting a reasonable room in the WDW area. You can spend the evening prior to your cruise shopping and dining at Downtown Disney, just to help get you in the mood!

We did a one-way car rental (Avis) from the Orlando airport. There is no extra charge for this. You can return it on cruise day at the Avis office at the Radisson Hotel in Port Canaveral. Both Avis and the Radisson run a free shuttle bus to the port. One tip: Drop off your luggage at the ship first, before driving to Avis to drop off the car. Then you won't have to try to squeeze all of your bags into the crowded shuttle bus.

After the cruise, you just pick up that same Radisson or Avis shuttle bus back over to the Avis office and pick up your reserved one-way rental from Port Canaveral to the airport.

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Several people have mentioned renting a car and getting a hotel near the port. I have some details about those options at my web site...

www.dcltribute.com/carhire
www.dcltribute.com/lodging

If you anticipate a late-night arrival on the night before the cruise, you may prefer to stay at a hotel near the airport. As has been mentioned, the Hyatt inside the airport is the most convenient option, but there are more than a dozen hotels also serving the airport that offer less-expensive accommodation. I also have details about those options at my web site...

www.dcltribute.com/lodging/MCO