DoomBuggieDriver
Boston Strong
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2003
- Messages
- 536
Hi all,
This thread is devoted to the getting here and there and everywhere on this June 19th trip on the Magic.
Getting from Massachusetts to Orlando MCO:
We chose to fly JetBlue out of Boston to MCO, non-stop on Thursday prior to the cruise. Although there are other discount airlines in airports in Manchester NH and Providence RI, we decided on JetBlue because we didn't have to worry about parking, but instead would take a cab from home to the shuttle bus that leaves from our hometown to the airport. This shuttle costs $20.00 RT each for three of us, and our youngest travels for free on this leg. JetBlue was $146.00 RT, which is a nice price. In the past we've flown (yes during vacation week so that changes things) from Boston to Orlando for $400.00 RT per person on the regular carriers. We loved JetBlue and would absolutely fly with them again. The seats seem larger, are leather, and there is a TV screen built into the head rest in front of you. There are many selections from Direct TV from which to choose. They, like the big carriers, don't serve food- just a snack of your choice and soda, water or juice. Beer and mixed drinks are of course an extra charge. We had to make a last minute change in our flight, and it was very easy to do. They even told us we could chance it and fly standby on the last plane out, which wasn't full, but we decided to pay the fee and book it so we wouldn't be worried about it. That added $25.00 per person, I knew that fee before I booked, and it was our choice and couldn't be avoided. DH was happy as the plane is set up with two sets of three seats each per row. DDs were next to me, then me on the aisle, then DH with two empty seats to his right. I booked the flight and the seating on the internet in January for June, but was able to talk with a live person very easily when I called to change the plans.
Orlando to Cocoa Beach-Ron Jons:
Booked a rental from Budget-it was expensive because we had the car from Thurs. evening to Sat. morning. In hindsight, it would have been easier to stay in the Hyatt the first night and that would have cut the bill back, but we thought we'd be going to the Kennedy Space Center early Friday and we wanted to already be settled in at Ron Jons. It was a bit of wait at the Budget counter-15-20 minutes or so, so you may want to sign up for their Fast Break program and head right out. For us it was ok anyway, and our porter brought us right to the counter, waited, and hauled the bags out to the car for us, which we thought was worth the extra tip. We had a Buick Century- yes, in gold, there are about a million of them around so remember exactly the plate or where you park!
As it turned out, we drove around Cocoa Beach on Friday but blew off the Space Center. Oh well. Still liked having the car, though it wasn't absolutely needed.
Ron Jon's to Port on Saturday.
First, tagged our checked bags with the bright yellow "Magic" tags that came with our documents. DH thought maybe he's dump off the rental and have them drive him back to Ron Jons, then take their shuttle to the port. He checked with front desk and they do have a shuttle but it didn't sound too promising-not sure if people prebooked it or if it's always this casual, so he decided we should keep the original plan to return the car together and take their shuttle. Took the rental to breakfast, or it took us to breakfast, you get the idea. Ate a nice breakfast at a Greek restaurant on A1A before the Budget office. Dropped the car around 10am, and hopped right into a shuttle that was just returning from the port. It was very easy- all of us and our bags. I think I would have been stressing if knew we'd be in lines at the port, but this is a time when that category 3 booking was great. I liked the idea of staying together, and after seeing the lines inside I was glad we did. If you are organized people that probably wouldn't be a problem, but we figure if we mess up or get lost, we'll at least be all together. We got dropped right by the porters, said goodbye to our bags and entered the terminal.
From port to airport on Debarkation Day:
First tagged the bags the night before after stripping off all old tags from the airlines and Disney. This one leg of the trip was actually left open-ended. Would we rent a car or go by cab or bus? After we talked about it on the ship, we decided to let Disney do the driving on the return, as we had booked the day room at the Hyatt, anyway. The cab was an interesting alternative, but there are 4 of us plus the luggage, so we decided to to do that option. I visited with guest services during the week and within a couple minutes had all four of us booked for a transfer from the port to MCO. They placed one sticker on my card that took care of all of us. At debarkation, we easily found our luggage and hauled it out to the bus area, where we were directed to the appropriate bus for JetBlue. Porters were really busy, so that wasn't an option for us that morning. The busdriver loads your luggage as you stand there so you know it's still with you. It took about 45 minutes to return to MCO. We really should have said the Hyatt when asked about the airport, but it didn't matter as it turned out because the Hyatt is just around the corner from the JetBlue desk, so again we had a porter drag everything over there for us.
MCO to Boston;
Same in reverse; JetBlue again, full plane this time. Dragged our bags ourselves to the street-not too bad. Logan Express back to our town; and a friend picked us up to go home. Very easy.
That's all for that folks!
Kathy
This thread is devoted to the getting here and there and everywhere on this June 19th trip on the Magic.
Getting from Massachusetts to Orlando MCO:
We chose to fly JetBlue out of Boston to MCO, non-stop on Thursday prior to the cruise. Although there are other discount airlines in airports in Manchester NH and Providence RI, we decided on JetBlue because we didn't have to worry about parking, but instead would take a cab from home to the shuttle bus that leaves from our hometown to the airport. This shuttle costs $20.00 RT each for three of us, and our youngest travels for free on this leg. JetBlue was $146.00 RT, which is a nice price. In the past we've flown (yes during vacation week so that changes things) from Boston to Orlando for $400.00 RT per person on the regular carriers. We loved JetBlue and would absolutely fly with them again. The seats seem larger, are leather, and there is a TV screen built into the head rest in front of you. There are many selections from Direct TV from which to choose. They, like the big carriers, don't serve food- just a snack of your choice and soda, water or juice. Beer and mixed drinks are of course an extra charge. We had to make a last minute change in our flight, and it was very easy to do. They even told us we could chance it and fly standby on the last plane out, which wasn't full, but we decided to pay the fee and book it so we wouldn't be worried about it. That added $25.00 per person, I knew that fee before I booked, and it was our choice and couldn't be avoided. DH was happy as the plane is set up with two sets of three seats each per row. DDs were next to me, then me on the aisle, then DH with two empty seats to his right. I booked the flight and the seating on the internet in January for June, but was able to talk with a live person very easily when I called to change the plans.
Orlando to Cocoa Beach-Ron Jons:
Booked a rental from Budget-it was expensive because we had the car from Thurs. evening to Sat. morning. In hindsight, it would have been easier to stay in the Hyatt the first night and that would have cut the bill back, but we thought we'd be going to the Kennedy Space Center early Friday and we wanted to already be settled in at Ron Jons. It was a bit of wait at the Budget counter-15-20 minutes or so, so you may want to sign up for their Fast Break program and head right out. For us it was ok anyway, and our porter brought us right to the counter, waited, and hauled the bags out to the car for us, which we thought was worth the extra tip. We had a Buick Century- yes, in gold, there are about a million of them around so remember exactly the plate or where you park!
As it turned out, we drove around Cocoa Beach on Friday but blew off the Space Center. Oh well. Still liked having the car, though it wasn't absolutely needed.Ron Jon's to Port on Saturday.
First, tagged our checked bags with the bright yellow "Magic" tags that came with our documents. DH thought maybe he's dump off the rental and have them drive him back to Ron Jons, then take their shuttle to the port. He checked with front desk and they do have a shuttle but it didn't sound too promising-not sure if people prebooked it or if it's always this casual, so he decided we should keep the original plan to return the car together and take their shuttle. Took the rental to breakfast, or it took us to breakfast, you get the idea. Ate a nice breakfast at a Greek restaurant on A1A before the Budget office. Dropped the car around 10am, and hopped right into a shuttle that was just returning from the port. It was very easy- all of us and our bags. I think I would have been stressing if knew we'd be in lines at the port, but this is a time when that category 3 booking was great. I liked the idea of staying together, and after seeing the lines inside I was glad we did. If you are organized people that probably wouldn't be a problem, but we figure if we mess up or get lost, we'll at least be all together. We got dropped right by the porters, said goodbye to our bags and entered the terminal.
From port to airport on Debarkation Day:
First tagged the bags the night before after stripping off all old tags from the airlines and Disney. This one leg of the trip was actually left open-ended. Would we rent a car or go by cab or bus? After we talked about it on the ship, we decided to let Disney do the driving on the return, as we had booked the day room at the Hyatt, anyway. The cab was an interesting alternative, but there are 4 of us plus the luggage, so we decided to to do that option. I visited with guest services during the week and within a couple minutes had all four of us booked for a transfer from the port to MCO. They placed one sticker on my card that took care of all of us. At debarkation, we easily found our luggage and hauled it out to the bus area, where we were directed to the appropriate bus for JetBlue. Porters were really busy, so that wasn't an option for us that morning. The busdriver loads your luggage as you stand there so you know it's still with you. It took about 45 minutes to return to MCO. We really should have said the Hyatt when asked about the airport, but it didn't matter as it turned out because the Hyatt is just around the corner from the JetBlue desk, so again we had a porter drag everything over there for us.
MCO to Boston;
Same in reverse; JetBlue again, full plane this time. Dragged our bags ourselves to the street-not too bad. Logan Express back to our town; and a friend picked us up to go home. Very easy.
That's all for that folks!
Kathy
