Suggested flight times???

[KatHuss]

I am trying to figure out the best flight times in and out of Orlando for our cruise. I found one that gets in at 1:15pm. Is that too late? Then to come home I can get either 11:42am or 3:55pm. which is better? I don't want to spend 4 or 5 hours at the airport, but I would want to make sure I got to the airport on time too. We are travelling with someone in a wheelchair so I am sure that will make a difference too. Any suggestions???

Thanks,

Kat

 

[KAR3600]

I have booked my return flight for 2:00pm, I would get nervous making any earlier than 1:00, just in case everything doesn't go as planned, I have some extra time............

We once had a later flight back, so we drove to Downtown Disney and did some last minute shopping.

 

[KatHuss]

We aren't renting a car so driving much or anywhere isn't really going to be an option but I think we will do the later flight on the return. I just hope that getting in at 1:15 will be ok.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I am trying to figure out the best flight times in and out of Orlando for our cruise. I found one that gets in at 1:15pm. Is that too late? Then to come home I can get either 11:42am or 3:55pm. which is better? I don't want to spend 4 or 5 hours at the airport, but I would want to make sure I got to the airport on time too. We are travelling with someone in a wheelchair so I am sure that will make a difference too. Any suggestions???

It's best to fly in the day before.

There can be a big difference between a scheduled arrival time and an actual arrival time. There are many flights that are routinely late 40% of the time. I would be very uncomfortable with a scheduled 1:15 p.m. arrival at MCO. If you don't get to the port in time, the ship will leave without you.

Taking an early morning flight is bad for a different reason. From many cities, a 7:00 a.m. nonstop will get you to MCO with enough time to make it to the port even if the flight is delayed. But that might mean getting up at 3:30 am. to leave for the airport at 4:30 a.m. to get there at 5:00 a.m. Yuck! Who wants to be wiped out on the first day?

Fly the night before. Get a room at one of the better hotels around MCO (possibly at an inexpensive weekend rate). Get a good night's sleep. Have a nice breakfast. Head for the port the next morning at 10:00 a.m. and get there around 11:00 a.m. Board the ship before noon and start enjoying all the ship has to offer.

 

[daisy112878]

Personally, I would not fly into Orlando and be there at 115pm. That's way to close to when the cruise leaves. Plus you have to add the hour to get to the port and if there's traffic. I would have a nervous breakdown the whole time. We took the advice of others and are flying in friday night. I would at least fly in first thing in the morning if you decide to fly in the day off.

 

[KAR3600]

Flying in to Orlando for the cruise, I try to fly the night before, or get the 1st flight out in the morning. When we flew in the same day as the cruise, it was very hectic, we were afraid of getting lost, taking a wrong turn, baggage problems, etc. So, if I get a choice I would fly in the night before.

 

[tchoney]

I would recommend flying into Orlando the night before. You can stay at a hotel that offers free airport shuttle service. We stayed at Downtown Disney. That way, we could walk to eat dinner and unwind before bed. We got up in the morning, had breakfast and the hotel returned us to the airport to catch the Disney Shuttle... It worked out really well. We flew out of Orlando at 3:00pm, and I wouldn 't recommend flying out any earlier. You may or may not have a wait at the airport. Personally, I don't like to be rushed and this made it easier for us all to sit down, eat lunch, shop around and unwind before our trip home...

 

[WisconsinCruisers]

We are first-timers and we were advised to fly the day before and also stay an extra day at the end. No, it is not necessary, but for us, if there any *any* complications, we have the extra day. We live where snow can severally delay air travel, even if the snow isn't in our city.

For a more relaxing time, it is my recommendation, to fly the night before and leave the day after. Maybe the day after is a bit much, but hey, its a vacation.

There is a *nice* hotel at Port Canaveral - Radisson. $130 - $160. There are MUCH cheaper motels of course.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

If possible, I would fly in the day before the ship departs. You never know what may happen. I have picked up people at the airport before where their flight is SEVERAL hous late getting in (mechanical problems). And know a family whose flight out to Orlando was several hours late to take off. A bird had hit the pilot's window and cracked it, they had to wait for a new one to be flown in to replace it.
When we booked our flight out of Orlando, we had an 11:50 am flight and made it to the airport in plenty of time. I believe Disney says to fly out no later than 12:30 pm.

 

[KatHuss]

I don't think flying in the night before will be an option because of vacation time, etc. I guess we will just have to take an early morning flight. Ugh because we live 1 1/2 hours from the nearest airport. Even the 8:00am flight that gets in at 11:00 is earlier than we would like. Probably stay near our airport for that one. Oh well, I was hoping it would be easier but I guess not.

thanks for the advice!


Kat

 

[tvguy]

You really need to fly in the day before, even if it means taking a red eye.
We left December 26 for a December 27 cruise. Wife and kids were on vacation, but I work graveyard. Plus I was up all day the 25th, and had to be at work that night at 11 p.m. So I was awake from 9 am Christmas morning, that's Pacific time, and didn't go to bed again until we got to our hotel at 1 am Friday night/Saturday morning in Orlando. I can't sleep on planes. But it was worth it.

Disney says you shouldn't schedule flights out before 12:30 pm, we had a 12:35 flight, and made it, but with only 20 minutes to spare, mostly due to huge lines for security at the airport.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

You really need to fly in the day before, even if it means taking a red eye.

There are no red-eyes to Orlando, except from some cities in the Western states.

Of course, many people successfully fly in on the morning of the cruise departure. If flying the day before is not an option, I would take the first flight of the morning. I would absolutely avoid connections. And if I lived more than an hour from the airport, I would stay at an airport area hotel the night before the flight.

 

[tvguy]

There are no red-eyes to Orlando, except from some cities in the Western states.

.

Maybe late flight is a better phrase than redeye....just checked the Orlando website and there are flights departing after 7 pm from Boston, Baltimore, Atlanta, Charleston, Chicago, New York......etc, so it is possible, you'll just get into Orlando at midnight or later. A good travel agent can make it all work for you.

 

[Canadiancruiser2]

I'm not sure if you would also like to dine at Palo's. If you arrrive late on the ship, you will not be able to book any reservation for dinner or brunch. We actually flew in the day before but we stayed at WDW, onsite at CBR. Since our disney transfer didn't get us to port until 1:45pm, we weren't able to make any Palo's reservations since all it was all booked up.

CC

 

[ksjayhawks]

Why don't you stay at a hotel near the airport the night before? Then you will not have to get up as early to reach the airport. It would be a lot stressful, even if you got to the hotel late at night, you would at least get a long nap before heading out. You don't want to start the cruise tired and crabby!!!!