Port Canaveral to Orlando Airport - Schedule change, flight leaving earlier.

[Karin1984]

Next summer I will be arriving back at Port Canaveral on a Friday and have to get to Orlando airport. I had booked a DL flight (domestic, connecting to an international flight) at 11:54.
I hadn't made up my mind yet about how to get back to the airport.

Since I've booked, DL has already changed the schedule slightly twice, but today I've received the 3rd schedule change, and now the flight from Orlando is leaving at 11:35. I'm a seasoned traveller and not too scared of tight connections, however, this is pushing it a bit with the adivce Disney gives.

I have read here about Express walk off, Disney transportation, car services. But I would still like to hear your opinions what your solution would be. There is not a lot of information on Uber or Lyft, any recent experiences?
We are two adults, each 1 suitcase + handluggage and we are on a budget.

Of course, with DL's habit to change the schedules, it's very possible that there will be more changes coming and reversing the current change (or making it worse ;-) ), but I'd like to have a plan ready.
If the changes are getting worse, I can always check what the options are to change to later flights, but that's not necessary yet.

Any thoughts?.
Thank you for your help!

 

[Lynne G]

I would definitely use a car service that will pick up up right at the port. And yes, use the express walk off. You should be able to make that even earlier flight. Most of the time, early walk off is around 8am.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

You'll be fine. Do Express Walk-Off and take the Disney transfer bus. Disney's buses start leaving for the airport quite quickly and efficiently. Do onboard airline check-in to speed the process at the airport, as DCL will check the bags for you and provide your boarding pass, so you get to walk straight to security upon airport arrival. DCL's guideline of 11:30 is a conservative one, as they know things can happen and that families with kids tend to be slow. Don't worry.

I would avoid a car service. We booked one once post-cruise and it was annoyingly late, on top of the fact that we were off the ship a lot quicker than I thought we'd be (despite being waaaay back in the line to disembark that morning), so the scheduled time to meet them was later than it needed to be, anyway. Multiple DCL buses left while we stood there twiddling our thumbs, for almost an hour. Booking a car service also precludes you from being able to participate in Onboard Airline Check-In, which can be a big time-saver at the airport.

The DCL buses will be sitting right there as soon as you disembark, and as soon as they fill up (which doesn't take long- a lot of people leave the ship early to go straight to the airport), you're on your way.

 

[Karin1984]

You'll be fine. Do Express Walk-Off and take the Disney transfer bus. Disney's buses start leaving for the airport quite quickly and efficiently. Do onboard airline check-in to speed the process at the airport, as DCL will check the bags for you and provide your boarding pass, so you get to walk straight to security upon airport arrival. DCL's guideline of 11:30 is a conservative one, as they know things can happen and that families with kids tend to be slow. Don't worry.

I would avoid a car service. We booked one once post-cruise and it was annoyingly late, on top of the fact that we were off the ship a lot quicker than I thought we'd be (despite being waaaay back in the line to disembark that morning), so the scheduled time to meet them was later than it needed to be, anyway. Multiple DCL buses left while we stood there twiddling our thumbs, for almost an hour. Booking a car service also precludes you from being able to participate in Onboard Airline Check-In, which can be a big time-saver at the airport.

The DCL buses will be sitting right there as soon as you disembark, and as soon as they fill up (which doesn't take long- a lot of people leave the ship early to go straight to the airport), you're on your way.

As I understood, onboard airline check in is only available if you have a domestic flight only. I am connecting to an international flight. Did I misunderstand it?
As soon as I have wifi in port, I will check in online, but I will have the bags to check in.

Which car service did you use?

 

[FigmentSpark]

We rent a car and park it at the port so it's waiting for us. Yes, we pay for parking and the unused rental, but there are great deals on rentals over a week. You have to keep checking prices, though. We once had a 12 day rental minivan from Alamo at MCO for $297 (Spring break 2017) all in. That was perfect because the dropoff and pick up was right there, not on some lot.

Last time we drove from home. We had early seating, got our photos, checked the USB and were off quite early. We stopped in Daytona at the mall for a break and it wasn't even open by the time we were there. We had to wait. So making a flight at MCO would have been just as easy.

If DCL says that 11:30 is the minimum and you're within that, you'll be okay.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

You'll be fine. Do Express Walk-Off and take the Disney transfer bus. Disney's buses start leaving for the airport quite quickly and efficiently. Do onboard airline check-in to speed the process at the airport, as DCL will check the bags for you and provide your boarding pass, so you get to walk straight to security upon airport arrival. DCL's guideline of 11:30 is a conservative one, as they know things can happen and that families with kids tend to be slow. Don't worry.

I would avoid a car service. We booked one once post-cruise and it was annoyingly late, on top of the fact that we were off the ship a lot quicker than I thought we'd be (despite being waaaay back in the line to disembark that morning), so the scheduled time to meet them was later than it needed to be, anyway. Multiple DCL buses left while we stood there twiddling our thumbs, for almost an hour. Booking a car service also precludes you from being able to participate in Onboard Airline Check-In, which can be a big time-saver at the airport.

The DCL buses will be sitting right there as soon as you disembark, and as soon as they fill up (which doesn't take long- a lot of people leave the ship early to go straight to the airport), you're on your way.

I don't remember the name of the service, as I've used multiple car services in Orlando over the years, and I've had more than one arrive late. Bottom line from me is that the buses are faster imo, mainly because you'll probably be off the ship faster than you think you will when booking the car service, so you'll likely have to wait a bit for the car service even if they're on time. When booking those you have to be conservative about the pick-up time you choose, as they'll start charging you extra if they have to wait for you over fifteen minutes past pick up time.

But regardless of the method you choose, you will be fine getting there for your flight, as long as you use Express Walk Off to disembark promptly. And don't be scared of the long line you'll encounter in the atrium/hallway for Express Walk-Off. It moves really quickly once the ship clears customs & people begin exiting.