Nervous about flight after cruise

[Club Disney Chandler]

I booked the Delta flight at 11:30 am, latest suggested time. Thinking this was perfect. But is it cutting it too close? If we miss the flight and can't leave until the next day, my daughter will miss out on the first day of Space Camp. I called to try and get a later flight, but the price is ridiculous for changing.

Has anyone had a flight this close and had issues? We are using Disney bus to go to the airport.

Our last cruise out of MCO we had an 11:45 flight and used Disney transfers. We had tons of time at the airport just waiting. We had first seating for breakfast, ate and immediately walked off the ship, got on the bus and were in the terminal by 9:30. In my opinion you'll be fine.

 

[poohs4me]

I agree with @apathetic. Go to Cabanas and be ready to get off the ship when they let you and then Get to the Gate.

Also look into your credit cards I know some AMEX's will reimburse you for the cost of TSA Precheck.

 

[Eeyores]

What time is first breakfast? Since our room is Forward and it looks like all restaurants are aft, would it be best to lug our luggage with us to breakfast? I'm not going to be moving too fast at the end probably!

 

[Sytrace]

I believe that was referencing buses going to WDW resorts. There aren't as many people taking those and they probably try to group passengers according to which resort they are headed to. Buses to MCO fill up and depart quickly.

YES! That was it. lol. I am so glad you remembered that because, I was trying to figure it out. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[hnthomps]

We were on the Fantasy in March. We ate breakfast at 645, were in line to get off the ship right after, and even with picking bags up at the PC terminal and all that, we were (via Disney transfer) at MCO by 830am. We had a noon flight, and were really annoyed that we had rushed off the boat, as we had so many many many extra hours to kill.

 

[jdb in AZ]

What time is first breakfast? Since our room is Forward and it looks like all restaurants are aft, would it be best to lug our luggage with us to breakfast? I'm not going to be moving too fast at the end probably!

On the last morning a lot of passengers take their carry-ons to breakfast with them, and leave them outside the restaurant because there's not enough room next to the tables for the waiters to maneuver. The piles of luggage are enormous. Some people get fresh fruit the night before, and whatever else will work for breakfast, and just eat it in their rooms.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I don't know why I didn't think about this before. I just realized that since you are flying Delta and taking DCL transfers, you are eligible for the onboard airline check in. I know if you have a flight before 1:00pm, you have to have disembarked the ship by 8:00am or DCL will pull your luggage and not transfer it. Since your flight is at 11:30am (the earliest time allowed by DCL), you should be able to have your checked luggage checked through to the airport by DCL. Double check with DCL that the 11:30am flight is late enough for them to do the luggage transfer. This way you will put your checked luggage out the night before. Just hold back your carry ons. You won't need to retrieve your luggage at customs and can just go through with your carry ons. It will save you time when at the airport since you won't need to wait in line to check your luggage.

 

[Eeyores]

Do I check once on board or call now to check that? There is a warning on their website that 11:30 am I may miss my flight. Ugh.

 

[belac]

That on-board check in would save a little time at the airport too ... There are a lot of disclaimers on the Web Site so don't panic yet, and yes maybe you should have opted for a later flight but, nothing you can do now. Do you cruise with-in a month, because if you are in or near a metro area you may be able to get the TSA Pre-Check in about 4 weeks. I think that is how long it took us.

 

[Julylady]

I, too, would sign up for the onboard airline check in. I believe you need to complete the form early in your cruise. They handle all your luggage for you and you don't see it again until you get to your home airport. They also print your boarding passes so you all you need to do is go to your gate! If for some reason that's not an option, I would carry your luggage off yourself. Otherwise you will spend time searching for your luggage amongst everyone elses'. Last, I would get in line to get off the ship as early as possible even it it means skipping breakfast. You might have to wait a few minutes for an airport bus to arrive, but hopefully you can be on one of the very first buses to depart. Hopefully you will have time to catch a quick breakfast at the airport!

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Do I check once on board or call now to check that? There is a warning on their website that 11:30 am I may miss my flight. Ugh.

I believe you fill out the forms for it once you are on your cruise. Hopefully someone who has done this can chime in and confirm. I've never done onboard airline check in since I always fly Southwest and they are not a participating airline. I would call DCL now to confirm that they can do the luggage transfer with an 11:30am flight.

 

[annacali]

Last June after our first DCL cruise we had more than enough time. We ate early seating in AP, stopped at Shutters to get pictures and stopped to get coffee at the Vista café before we left. Close to 8 when we walked off the boat. Went thru customs to pick up the luggage. Took DCL bus to MCO and were there before 9. I know this because our flight wasn't until around 1 and we weren't allowed check our bags when we arrived because it was more than 4 hours before our flight. I actually wished we had picked an earlier flight!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

We have a 10:40 am flight out of MCO after a cruise in August. We will do express walk-off (we only pack carry-ons) and will have a car waiting to pick us up at 8:00 am. We did this after a cruise last February and it was fine. Granted if there are delays, lines, etc. all plans could go down the drain, but it's either 10:40 am or 5:00 pm so I'm going to take our chances!

 

[noahsketomom]

We had a 11:35a flight. I was nervous, but the other option was 8pm at night so we decided to risk it. So glad we did. We grabbed food from cabanas as soon as it opened. I remember eating in the room so maybe we brought it back while last minute packing. We had done on board checkin so only our carryons. We were waiting in the lobby of the ship with a handful of other folks with early flights. They kept us all together. As soon as the ship had cleared customs, they shooed us off. As soon as the first bus was full, they took off for MCO. We got there in no time at all --- if memory serves...about 8:45am. Security was long, but we were at our gate a full 2 hours early....and then heard the announcement that our flight was delayed! MURPHY'S LAW!!! But I still wouldn't hesitate to book that flight....just be ready to MOVE in the AM!

 

[VFG]

This April during spring break we had an 11:04 flight. We had plenty of time at the airport. We even got a snack before boarding and had time to drop our bags off.

I was so nervous but I'd book the same flight again.

 

[shelbell77]

I could have sworn I recently saw a thread about busses leaving starting at 9 AM. Hmmm...maybe it was for something else though.

That's for airport to port. Busses from port to airport and wdw fill and go. I've never waited until 9am for a bus leaving port.

I always shoot for the 11:30 flight, use onboard airline check in, eat at my designated restaurant for breakfast, take Disney bus, and have more than enough time to make my flight. No need to stress.

 

[Eeyores]

I'm going to hope for the best! I'm not a morning person but I'll have to be that day!

 

[bumbershoot]

If we miss the flight and can't leave until the next day, my daughter will miss out on the first day of Space Camp.

First off, if you miss that flight and can't get on another that day, rent a car and go to Canaveral. Surely that would help out with missing the first day of Space Camp?

Second, you already mentioned there being other flights. They will put you on one of those flights IF you miss your flight. Airlines only seem cruel and heartless. But when you miss a flight, they help. DH once missed his flight by nearly 24 hours...int'l travel, flight that left at 2am so he was getting to the airport at 11pm, and everyone (me, him, and TA) got confused and he got there at 11pm the day of the flight...which was a day too late) and they helped him out.

So you won't miss it.

And keep checking on the flight. If they change the time of the flight by an hour or so, you can call them and say that it doesn't work, and you would like to change the flight. And they will do so, at no extra cost.

Do I check once on board or call now to check that?

Do it once onboard. But once you see the notices come out, do it then. Don't miss the deadline or you'll be back to hauling it all.

 

[Eeyores]

It is in Huntsville. We have been lucky and never missed a flight before or lost luggage. I always fear it though!

They changed my flight already by 8 minutes. I called quickly and asked to change it to later in the day and they refused. Not enough of a time difference.

 

[Otimon]

You just have to decide what's most important to you- leave things as they are and continue to worry or make the necessary changes so you won't have to
continue to worry. Chances are the trip from the port to the airport would be uneventful but things do happen when you least expect them.

Personally, would pay the one-time fee for a later flight and be done with it!