Please help me not panic over flying in the morning of our cruise!

[Minnie368]

We sail April 14 on the Fantasy- first cruise. My daughter plays high school softball and will miss 2 games while we’re gone. We now found out she has a game the Friday night before our cruise when we had originally planned to fly in to Orlando. She cannot miss this game since she’s already missing two- those were a tough sell to her coach as it was. So now I’m forced to change to an early Saturday morning flight arriving at 8:30am from Pittsburgh. I’m in a little bit of a panic after reading so many recommendations on these boards not to fly in day of. Can anyone with experience with flying in day of help me feel better???

 

[Shanti]

We sail April 14 on the Fantasy- first cruise. My daughter plays high school softball and will miss 2 games while we’re gone. We now found out she has a game the Friday night before our cruise when we had originally planned to fly in to Orlando. She cannot miss this game since she’s already missing two- those were a tough sell to her coach as it was. So now I’m forced to change to an early Saturday morning flight arriving at 8:30am from Pittsburgh. I’m in a little bit of a panic after reading so many recommendations on these boards not to fly in day of. Can anyone with experience with flying in day of help me feel better???

We've taken 3 cruises, and flew in the morning of for 2 of them. Worked like a charm both times. You are not going in winter, so weather will likely not be an issue. Your flight is also coming in so early that even if you had a 5 hour delay, you would still make it to the ship. Most long delays occur in the evening, not the morning, anyway.

You'll be fine. Regardless of the dire warnings you read on these boards, lots of people fly in the morning of without incident. I recommend you book the DCL transfer bus from the airport to the port, so that as soon as you check in there at MCO, you'll be in DCL's hands. They'll get you to the ship.

I also recommend that you not check-in any bags on your flight. Just in case there is a delay/misrouting issue with the bags, you don't want to cruise without part of your luggage.

 

[a1tinkfans]

We always fly in day before.. it extends the vacation lol
But hey... why worry at this point ?
enjoy ur cruise!

 

[cedricandsophie]

95% of time it will be fine. Weather may not be a factor but there are lots of other things that can mess up a flight. All you can do is hope for the best. If you book a transfer you can probably tag your bags to go right to Ship. I’m a crazy person over time and worrying about making flights and cruises. If possible is there a really late flight you could take?

 

[dcassetta]

Many people flying in the morning up without an issue at all. I have done it several times. Disney books flights having people arrive the morning of the cruise, so they seem to be OK with it also. Does it give you a little cushion to fly in the night before? Yes, it does. But that doesn't mean that flying in the morning of is an issue. It sounds like you have the first flight out in the morning, and a direct flight. You are likely to be just fine. I hope you enjoy both The softball game and the cruise.

 

[Minnie368]

95% of time it will be fine. Weather may not be a factor but there are lots of other things that can mess up a flight. All you can do is hope for the best. If you book a transfer you can probably tag your bags to go right to Ship. I’m a crazy person over time and worrying about making flights and cruises. If possible is there a really late flight you could take?

Unfortunately there are no flights later than 7:30 pm from Pittsburgh. I would definitely go with a late flight if it was available. Is it possible to have luggage tagged to go directly to the ship? I thought we had to take them ourselves from baggage claim to the DCL bus.

 

[dcassetta]

Unfortunately there are no flights later than 7:30 pm from Pittsburgh. I would definitely go with a late flight if it was available. Is it possible to have luggage tagged to go directly to the ship? I thought we had to take them ourselves from baggage claim to the DCL bus.

Disney will send you luggage tags for the cruise, and if you attach them before you board your flight from Pittsburgh, then Disney will collect your luggage and send it to the ship for you. You can just go downstairs to the cruise transfers area and get on the bus directly. However, some people like to collect their luggage themselves just to make sure that it arrives. You then take it to the bus with you, and they store it underneath.

 

[Minnie368]

Thank you all so much for your input. I feel better already

 

[FigmentSpark]

I think the best thing to do in your case is know your options. If something happens to your flight, like a mechanical delay, are there other flights in to MCO that morning or early afternoon? Also, I would buy travel insurance that would cover no making the ship due to airline issue.

Other than that, you could check for late Friday flights in to Tampa, as well, but you'd have to find a way to the port if you did that.

 

[Weedy]

Pack a carry on with things you can’t live without. RX, a few extra clothes, underwear for everyone and you should be ok

 

[wanderlust7]

Also, I would buy travel insurance that would cover no making the ship due to airline issue.

This!!!

Look closely at the missed connection coverage to see how long the delay would need to be for the coverage to kick in.

 

[cruiser21]

We sail April 14 on the Fantasy- first cruise. My daughter plays high school softball and will miss 2 games while we’re gone. We now found out she has a game the Friday night before our cruise when we had originally planned to fly in to Orlando. She cannot miss this game since she’s already missing two- those were a tough sell to her coach as it was. So now I’m forced to change to an early Saturday morning flight arriving at 8:30am from Pittsburgh. I’m in a little bit of a panic after reading so many recommendations on these boards not to fly in day of. Can anyone with experience with flying in day of help me feel better???

Can you take a red eye ....or really early morning flight?

 

[cruiser21]

Unfortunately there are no flights later than 7:30 pm from Pittsburgh. I would definitely go with a late flight if it was available. Is it possible to have luggage tagged to go directly to the ship? I thought we had to take them ourselves from baggage claim to the DCL bus.

Sorry didn't see this before I posted previously. Would about connecting through Miami. I know American has a lot of Mia/ Mco flights.

 

[disneyholic family]

you have no option so might as well not worry...

what's worrying going to help you?

if you spend the next few months worrying and then it all works out, you'll have worried for nothing..

and if something goes wrong, all the worrying won't help anyway..

so since you have no choice, just assume it will all go well and you'll be on the ship with no issues...

i know....easy for me to say....but it seems to be your only option..

lots of people fly in the same day.....it will be ok....

and i agree with the idea of packing very light and carrying everything on board the plane with you..

so it's just you and your carry ons...

 

[cyclenut]

Should not be an issue. We've done it a couple of times and are thinking of doing it again in September. A few things that could settle your mind a bit.
I'm not familiar with which airlines have the most flights between these two destinations, but consider choosing that airline. If they have several flights then they will also have several options to get you there should there be a problem with the first flight. For example, I just looked at Southwest Airlines from Pittsburgh to Orlando and they have two flights that arrive before noon.
Try and choose the first flight out to Orlando. You may have already done that. These are least likely to have problem with equipment and crew since there is plenty of time for the aircraft to arrive from wherever it is coming from the night before.
Make sure you book a non-stop, but you've probably already done that.

I travel a fair amount. About 50,000 miles a year by air last year. Flight delays of more than an hour can happen, but are really pretty rare. Flight cancellations are even more rare and unless you are traveling during the winter months, even more rare.

That said, please do yourself a favor and just relax. Be emotionally prepared for the fact that something out of your control could go wrong. If it does, having a calm head will get you through it. We've all seen the horror stories of panic stricken and stressed out people yelling at airline staff and airport security. It just slows them down.

 

[CamColt]

It can be done, with no problem. I did it for my honeymoon when I didn't know any better and we actually got there so early we were turned away from the port (this was another cruise line, pre DCL). With that said, I have traveled a lot more in the past 20 years and I've seen and experienced some flight nightmares. I personally would not choose to do it, however if I were in a situation like yours and felt I had to, well, I guess I would have to...but I can't say without worry.

Here's hoping for the best for you!

 

[ironz]

Since you have to, sounds like no choice, but as other people have said, book a nonstop on the earliest flight, and on an airline that has multiple flights that morning in case anything goes wrong on first flight (weather, mechanical, etc).

Friends of ours missed our recent cruise on the Magic flying in the day of. Granted, there was winter weather and had to make a connection, but they started at 5 am and had delays, cancelation and rebooking, then another delay, and arrived in Miami after 5 pm.

 

[mousefan73]

If it were me, I'd look into other flights to FL and consider a one-way rental to port just to get in the night before. either jacksonville, Tampa, maaaybe Miami... the rental is most likley cheaper than your shuttle.

 

[mousefan73]

there's a 7:55 PIT to JAX flight on Delta, one stop.. gets in after midnight... fare not too bad

 

[Trip planner]

Definitely try to carry on your bags. I flew in the morning of a cruise and my flight was canceled, however, the airline was able to put us on a different flight with a different airline. We made the ship but our luggage did not. We didn’t get our luggage until day 4.