I have a couple questions...

[alimbrogno]

My DS (11) and I will be cruising for the first time ever in January. I'm having trouble finding flights from KC to Ft. Lauderdale that isn't close to $1000. Do you think it would be possible to disembark and make it to Orlando for a 4pm flight home?

Also, I originally chose main dining but I've been reading that can be kinda crowded so I'm having second thoughts about it. Do you prefer main or late dining? And why? Thanks!!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

My DS (11) and I will be cruising for the first time ever in January. I'm having trouble finding flights from KC to Ft. Lauderdale that isn't close to $1000. Do you think it would be possible to disembark and make it to Orlando for a 4pm flight home?

Also, I originally chose main dining but I've been reading that can be kinda crowded so I'm having second thoughts about it. Do you prefer main or late dining? And why? Thanks!!

Since DCL recommends flight after 11:30 am, you're more than fine with a 4:00 flight. It's only about an hour from port to MCO, and the latest you can stay on the ship is 9:30.

Generally, the main seating (early) may be a little more populated, but, I find that it's not that much of a difference. We prefer main seating. Mostly because we're early to bed types, and don't like eating all that food just before bedtime.

 

[brookness]

My DS (11) and I will be cruising for the first time ever in January. I'm having trouble finding flights from KC to Ft. Lauderdale that isn't close to $1000. Do you think it would be possible to disembark and make it to Orlando for a 4pm flight home?

Also, I originally chose main dining but I've been reading that can be kinda crowded so I'm having second thoughts about it. Do you prefer main or late dining? And why? Thanks!!

From Ft. Lauderdale to Orlando? I want to clarify that for other posters...I think the first reply may have thought from Port Canaveral.

 

[alimbrogno]

From Ft. Lauderdale to Orlando? I want to clarify that for other posters...I think the first reply may have thought from Port Canaveral.

Yes to Orlando. Isn't the drive from Ft. Lauderdale to Orlando more like 4 hours?

 

[marana]

Agreed. Disembarkation is earlier in the AM. You should have no problems with the 4pm flight out of MCO. As for Main vs. Second seating... our family prefers the main. We have 4 kids under 12 and some of them tire out during the 8-9pm show.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Yes to Orlando. Isn't the drive from Ft. Lauderdale to Orlando more like 4 hours?

I'm sorry - I'm still not clear. You're flying from KC to Ft Lauderdale? And you want to know if you'll make a 4:00 pm flight out of Ft Lauderdale after the cruise?

You said "Do you think it would be possible to disembark and make it to Orlando for a 4pm flight home? " are you talking about disembarking from the ship and going to Orlando? Or did you mean Ft Lauderdale?

 

[alimbrogno]

I'm sorry - I'm still not clear. You're flying from KC to Ft Lauderdale? And you want to know if you'll make a 4:00 pm flight out of Ft Lauderdale after the cruise?

You said "Do you think it would be possible to disembark and make it to Orlando for a 4pm flight home? " are you talking about disembarking from the ship and going to Orlando? Or did you mean Ft Lauderdale?

I live in Kansas City but flights to Ft Lauderdale where we are leaving for our cruise are very high. Flights into/out of Orlando are almost half the price so I was thinking of flying into/out of Orlando and driving to Ft. Lauderdale.

 

[akicks]

Assuming you want to drive from Ft. Lauderdale to Orlando, the trip is around 3 hours by car.

Is Miami also expensive? That would be a much closer option to Ft. Lauderdale.

 

[alimbrogno]

Assuming you want to drive from Ft. Lauderdale to Orlando, the trip is around 3 hours by car.

Is Miami also expensive? That would be a much closer option to Ft. Lauderdale.

Yes they are basically the same price.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Have you checked flights into Miami, as well as Ft. Lauderdale? That's a lot closer than Orlando.

EDIT:
Sorry, just read the last two posts.... I'm just catching up.

 

[akicks]

I wouldn't hesitate to book Orlando unless the drive sounds too overwhelming. You should have plenty of time, especially if you aren't the last folks off the ship.

 

[alimbrogno]

I wouldn't hesitate to book Orlando unless the drive sounds too overwhelming. You should have plenty of time, especially if you aren't the last folks off the ship.

At this point, it's either fly into Orlando or drive all the way from Kansas City which I DO NOT ever want to do again!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I live in Kansas City but flights to Ft Lauderdale where we are leaving for our cruise are very high. Flights into/out of Orlando are almost half the price so I was thinking of flying into/out of Orlando and driving to Ft. Lauderdale.

Ah. Well, if all goes well (as in no traffic on the roads) it's a little over a 3 hour drive. Personally, I wouldn't risk it, but on paper it would work. You'd have to be at the airport by 2 at the latest (TSA in Orlando can be brutal, anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours to get through). If you were off the ship early, and had a car available (are you going to rent a car to get to the port?) I'd say you have a fair to good chance to make it.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Before you decide, check the price of rentals to be sure you aren't going to eat up your savings with the rental and parking. If you're turning it in when you get to Ft. L. and then renting again to return to MCO, the cost might be higher for the different return spot.

 

[cgolf]

My DS (11) and I will be cruising for the first time ever in January. I'm having trouble finding flights from KC to Ft. Lauderdale that isn't close to $1000. Do you think it would be possible to disembark and make it to Orlando for a 4pm flight home?

Also, I originally chose main dining but I've been reading that can be kinda crowded so I'm having second thoughts about it. Do you prefer main or late dining? And why? Thanks!!

I quick looked at Southwest's wanna get away rates that are around the 400 a person round trip on a random Friday and Saturday 8 days later in January. This is what we usually book because you save on luggage fees too. For some reason though flights are selling out quick. I will also give you a warning, think of your hotel room as part of the trip, prices are very high down there next year, not sure why.

As for dining, we prefer main dining, being Midwesterners we tend to eat at 5-6 at home instead of later in the evening so it works well for us. We did late dining once and we struggled with it, wasn't for us.

 

[lbus42]

Let me see if I have all this straight. You are flying into Orlando, since the airfare is cheaper, and cruising out of Ft Lauderdale. The way I see it, you can fly into Orlando the day before, rent a car, drive it to Ft Lauderdale, rent a motel room, then either turn in the car, or store it in a garage until your cruise returns. Your costs will be the flight, car rental, car rental drop off fee on both ends of the cruise or parking fees, and the hotel.

You could also try to fly in the day of the cruise, to save on the hotel cost, but you run a very real risk of not making it to your ship on time. It looks like to me that any money you saved by flying into Orlando instead of Ft Lauderdale will be offset by the costs of car rental, additional meals, and lodging.

Another point is that you are asking about dining preferences and it appears that you are not cruising with DCL. I checked the website for DCL cruises out of Ft Lauderdale and I did not see any. Other cruise lines have different dining methods and times. Also disembarkation time and process for another cruise line may be much different. This may make a 4pm flight time out of Orlando more problematic. Assuming a gate arrival time of 3:30, 2 hours to get through TSA, 3 hours of driving time, and maybe an hour for car rental; you would have to be off the ship by 9:30. This may be cutting it way too close at another cruise line.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Is 4pm the latest you can get a flight? I would try for a later flight or plan to fly out the next day. I wouldn't want that stress.

 

[MPS516]

So I had the same question, where do you catch the ship and what cruise line are you on ? I was thinking that you are asking about flying into FLL and returning from MCO but can not figure out what early or late dining has to do with the question if not on DCL. All this could depend on what time your cruise line tells you disembarkation occurs. Are you sailing out of Miami on the Magic ?

Anyway, it is possible to get from FLL to MCO in about 3 hours if you don't stop. It is a lot of pressure for the end of a relaxing vacation and with so many cheap hotel options in Orlando perhaps not worth the headache. When you add car rental, hotel and food, is your flight savings really worth it ?

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Can't comment on flights as we are already at resort at drive to the port having flown international to Orlando. But like PP we always do main ( early ) dining and have never found it too busy. Same reasons we do not enjoy eating late and aren't late night people. There may be more people with children perhaps. We don't have children and seeing the joy on other peoples children's faces is nothing but a delight to me.

 

[Sytrace]

Orlando to Ft. Lauderdale is going to be closer to a 3.5 to 4 hour drive. There is construction on I 95 both directions that is really making that roadway very tricky.

You could always take the turnpike and possibly save some time that way. However, it is not a direct route like I 95 is.

I would suggest flying in the day before and flying out the day after your cruise or pick a much later flight time than 4:00 PM if possible.