Tell me will we make it.....please!!!!!! ****UPDATE****

[jetsetter90]

LarryC Thanks for the encourgment. The car or the driving time is really not my worry. Like you said pick up at the most 15 min., but that is the time that hubby will be picking up luggage. We are parking the car in the lot. I know everyone is saying what, paying for a 4 day rental and parking. We got this fantastic rate of $267.54 TOTAL for 2 weeks, full size car. I booked it back in February can't give it up.

I guess I was just worried about if the ship is still docked when is the last possible second we could get on board.

snowiit Keep the gangplank down waiting for us. lol

Werner Weiss

At least Song doesn't serve Chicago!  (But the aircraft may be coming in from somewhere in Florida that morning.)

Hoping that maybe the plane is already there waiting for us

Disneymommie would you like 4 tagalongs...lol only kidding.

You guys are all wonderfull thanks for all the support!!!! Will definately let you know how it goes.

TTFN

Jetsetter90

 

[CGC33A]

I think the documents say to check in not later than 4 PM. I have checked in around 3 PM myself. not much of a wait at that time, went to the room to drop off hand baggage, but found all food opportunities were closed (no more buffet, & the fast food options on deck 9 were closed for the lifeboat drill). So bring a snack, you may need it.

 

[disneyholic family]

i'd say your chances of making it are only 50-50....and that's being optimistic....
if after investing so very much money on the cruise, 50/50 odds are good enough for you , then do it...
as for me, there is no way on god's earth i would EVER cut it that close...there are so very many things that can hold you up...
the US domestic flying experience is anything but smooth these days....and add into that the possibility of being stranded on the tarmac in orlando by a lightning storm (we sat in a plane on the tarmac for THREE HOURS last year....the plane was not allowed to pull into the gate for all of that time because of the lightning....and anyone who knows orlando knows that can happen at any time, especially in the summer...
and driving at indianapolis 500 speeds isn't possible in a major deluge either...someting that happens every day in the summer in orlando...

half of me wants to encourage you just to see if it's possible....but the nicer half of me, wants to discourage you knowing the liklihood of failure....and the grave consequences of failure (missing the boat...)

why can't you leave the night before? or in the middle of the night?

i should tell you that i'm very very risk averse when it comes to these things....last summer we arrived at WDW 3 days early so that we wouldn't have any trouble making the cruise (but then again, we come from overseas....and yes...we were massively delayed in new york.....weather delays that held up all 3 airports, laguardia, kennedy and newark......we got to orlando 10 hours after our scheduled arrival time....)

good luck...

 

[RellingTwin]

Driving to the port 2 years ago we hit a traffic jam 5 miles from the port. We were stuck for 1 1/2 hours! I think there is also at least 1 draw bridge

 

[goodstarr]

Since jetsetter said that leaving the night before was no longer an option, for those of you who still want to know why, you can maybe pool your monies together to pay for the difference in the price for the ticket or send your prayers and pixie dust as she has requested Not everyone has the resources to change travel plans at a whim. But everyone has the resources to pray for someone else's misfortune.

 

[FredS]

Originally posted by goodstarr
Since jetsetter said that leaving the night before was no longer an option, for those of you who still want to know why, you can maybe pool your monies together to pay for the difference in the price for the ticket or send your prayers and pixie dust as she has requested Not everyone has the resources to change travel plans at a whim. But everyone has the resources to pray for someone else's misfortune.

Not sure where you are coming from with the eye rolling ??? I think many people are very concerned obo the OP and that she is risking losing the entire cost of her cruise if everything does not precisely go as planned. Pixie dust and prayers are not generally going to cover what is actually a foolish gamble. I think that we all WISH that we could encourage her, but I know personally I think that her plans are foolhardy. One would think that there must be some alternative to cutting it so closely, be it finding another carrier, leaving from a different airport or whatever, particularly since she apparently doesn't live in the middle of nowhere with no options for transportation. Leaving yourself less than a three-hour window to travel that distance, rent a car, get to the port, park and get onboard is asking for disaster, IMHO. No one is trying to be mean, just honest.

 

[jetsetter90]

WOW

I must say I didn't think I would be getting all these responses, let alone most of them negative. I'm taking full responsability for my "foolish gamble". I was just wondering if and what has happened to anyone who was in my same perdicament.
Wondering what the latest anyone has checked in and maybe someone who could have said the trip was approx 45 min driving 55/60 mph, the LEGAL speed limit.

After getting the responses all I was asking for was for some maybe moral support and some pixie dust, doesn't cost much.

It is a gamble my family and I will be taking and you know what, life is toooo short. We did, of our own free will, change our cruise itenarary without actually taking into consideration our travel time. We have never had a major delay, knock wood, on our flts to MCO and therefor didn't think that a possiblity. In the end if we miss the ship I'll pretend there was a casino on board and decided to make a wager that didn't pan out. If we DO make the ship I thank all of you who did send some pixie dust our way.

To all that wished us Good Luck I thank you from the bottom of my heart. To those who think I'm a fool remember "When you wish upon a star...."

TTFN

Jettsetter90

 

[disneyholic family]

i do hope you make it....that goes without saying really....
but if it were me and the cost of a different flight was totally out of the question, i'd leave a day early and drive.....

by the way, on our cruise we saw a family race on board just before we set sail....a very very very haggard looking family....but they did indeed make it.....though i don't know what their story was...

 

[Disneymommie]

after all is said and done I have no dought that I will be seeing you on deck 9 or 10 with that frosty drink in your hand with us as we sail off for a great vacation. Have faith and pixie dust dreams!!! See you in 20 days! Good luck in yout travels.

 

[Momtoemma]

Just had to post my experience, so that you are not completely discouraged. We lew in from TORONTO in the middle of winter arriving at about 1:45pm (suppose to arrive i think around 1:10pm) on what for us in Toronto would be the busiest or second busiest travel day of the year (beginning of our March break). We were on the ship (used Disney transfrs) by I think about 3:30pm, no sweat (OK I was sweating but that is just me).


Why did I do this- this ws Disney's air arrangement for us and many others on that flight. So clearly Disney thinks it is just fine.

Having said that when we go next march, I have insisted we leave a day ahead (rest of family thinks I am a little neurotic, but willing to humour me).

You will make it no problem, barring major weather/mechanical, etc.

Having said all that I would not rent a car, even Emerald aisle, just in case you are a little delayed-every minute could start to count.

Finally I have seen the ship held for people (even after 5pm) but no doubt their air was through Disney (I do not know this for a fact, but I am guessing).
You can board after 4pm-just discouraged. Good luck, you will be fine (but consider different ground transportation if you can)

Debbie:

 

[floridaminnie]

When disney does your air ressies, they also take the responsiblity for what happens. When you make them on your own your responsible. That can be good or bad. I'm a control freak (that's saying it mildly ) so I like to make my own. Good luck and I'm sending PD your way!

 

[mmiller711]

Sending Pixie Dust and happy thoughts your way ºoº Here's a little extra wish for a nice gentle wind at the back of your plane. My DD arrived early on her flight to Hawaii!!

 

[vgaskin]

I would say, keep the Disney port number handy. I have heard that they will hold it for a few minutes if they know you are that close. Also, I heard that they have boated people to the ship that missed it by a little while. Also, I have heard reports of people catching the boat at the next port(worst case scenario).

I would definately consider trip insurance just in case. I don't think Disney will insure your own purchased airfare but we booked thru CSR thru our travel agen. That way, if you do miss it, you won't miss out on the expense. That way, maybe the extra money for trip delay may help you get to the first port or maybe just a vacation at Disney World. But I would not risk it personally without trip insurance. Disney booked our air in April, we had the land and sea and our flight was cancelled and our next flight got in 12 hours later than expected. Luckily our land portion was first. Disney would not reimburse us for the park tickets we lost due to their mistake because we didn't get trip insurance. We booked our own air this time and booked Insurance just in case. CSR was much cheaper in our case. For older travelers, it may not be as they go on the age of the oldest traveler. For a family of 5 staying in category 10's, including our airfare during peak Thanksgiving week, our trip insurance was $295, well worth it for peace of mind. Good Luck, please let us know an update when you travel. I will keep my fingers crossed.

Tiffany

 

[MrsPete]

I see you've decided to try it -- even though the majority of the posters here recommend that you change your plans. While I wouldn't take this risk, it's your choice!

I would like to echo some of the suggestions that others have made:

Consider changing to a limo service instead of renting a car. Nothing to pick up, nothing to drop off, nothing to park. Every minute is going to count. Emphasize to them that you need to get there quickly and that a good tip will be given if you make it on time.

Buy the insurance. At least if you do miss the boat, they can transport you to the next port.

Finally, a suggestion that I don't think anyone else has made: Could you manage with just a carry-on bag apiece? If you could skip waiting for your luggage, that'd save a few minutes. It might mean doing laundry on the ship, but I know I could manage with just a carry-on if I needed to.

Please give us an update after your cruise and let us know how you did.

 

[izzinmac]

My first thought when I read your post was that this is insane. Still think that, but the more I looked at it, it can be done. I looked at it backwards - from boarding the ship time to landing at MCO. If you board by 4pm, here are my calculations

Board the ship 4pm
Check in (line will be SHORT) 10 min 3:50
Unload and park the car 15 min 3:35
Drive MCO-Port (@70MPH) 45 min 2:50
Luggage/car 30 min 2:20
Landing to bag claim 20 min 2:00

So, if you land by 2pm you should make it. I think the areas where you are vulnerable are landing time, landing to luggage claim, and getting luggage. Landing time is out of your control, and at the time of day you are scheduled to arrive, afternoon thunderstorms probably haven't started. I think your best time saver would be to hand carry bags if at all possible. I have waited at MCO for bags for at least 30 minutes many times, especially if there is more than one to claim. I agree with the previous recommendations, especially having the port phone #(and a cell phone to call it). Also, make sure all your documents are complete, together, and ready to go when you get to the port.

Good luck!

 

[dbond]

I will say a prayer for you that you don't have any weather delays that day. I can't tell you how many times we've sat for hours in DFW for a flight to MCO waiting for weather delays either here, there or somewhere that backed everything up. DFW is a busy airport and weather delaying incoming and outgoing messes up the whole system sometimes. I would think that LGA would experience the same sort of issues. August is known for frequent thunderstorms around here. Good luck to you and I'm anxious to hear if it works out. Personally, I have sat on too many airplanes for hours on a runway and watched too many dearture boards say delayed to take that kind of risk. On our December flight to MCO this past year, our plane was an hour late arriving from its previous destination, we finally all got boarded and pushed away from the gate, and then we watched 2 entire movies on the plane, on the runway waiting for thunderstorms to pass. We even commented to each other that is was a good thing we weren't trying to catch a cruise ship.

 

[disneyholic family]

yup....that's just what we did...sat on the tarmac waiting for the thunderstorm to pass....for 3 hours....it was the most impressive sound and light show i've ever seen.....lightning strikes down in orlando in such an impressive way.....
but sitting on the ground held prisoner in the airplane, is better than what happened to me 2 years ago....that plane was hit by lightning during takeoff...this wasn't at MCO.....it was overseas....i didn't realize it at the time....i mean, i saw the flash and felt the plane hit, but i didn't put two and two together...when we landed an hour later at the next airport over from where we'd taken off (for an abortive 11 hour flight) that's when the pilot told us we'd been hit....he didn't tell us before that...anyway.....we took off a couple of hours later.....and ended up having to put down in halifax of all places, because the pilot had gone over his 14 hour limit.....so then we had to wait for 7 hours for a pilot to fly from toronto.....why so long?...because toronto only opens at 8 in the morning....so the pilot could only take off at that time to head for halifax....in any case, what should have taken me 11 hours to get to toronto, took something on the order of 24 hours........and then i still had to continue on to windsor (in a wind up rubber band plane)......the joys of flying....

as for thunderstorms not being a problem at 2 in the afternoon.....that wasn't true last year or the year before....we experienced very severe weather as early as 1 in the afternoon...

 

[NYGiantsRule!]

If at all possible, try to re-shuffle your schedule. When we went on our cruise in August 2001, I thought I was very organized and we planned to fly down on Friday evening so that we could get a good nights sleep and get on one of the early buses to the port. Unfortunately our flight was cancelled at the last minute and we spent the night sleeping (at least my kids did) in the airport while I frantically re-booked a flight on another airline. We could not get our checked luggage back from the carrier we were originally scheduled to fly with. I started calling the cruise line as soon as they opened on Saturday morning and called them frequently with updates of our projected arrival time. We finally made it to Orlando at 3PM and made the last bus out to the port. Yes, check-in is easy because there is no one else there at that time, but we literally got on the boat during the lifeboat drill and no one will help you or barely speak to you. We had to find our way to everything without any assistance, it did not make the stress of the previous 24 hours any easier. You can make it on the ship late, but it has several drawbacks.

 

[goodstarr]

It's good to see people giving jetsetter some advice that she may be able to use. The that I gave earlier was due to the fact that I feel sometimes people think that everyone has excess money accessible to actually change a flight at whim (jetsetter stated that to change her flight, it would cost about the price of another cruise-so this was not an option for her) It seemed as if most people just kept telling her to change her flight, as if this was such a simple answer for her. Not everyone can afford to pay that kind of money (expecially when they just paid that kind of money for the cruise itself). I just thought that jetsetter wanted more realistic advice for her situation, which she eventually started to get (as in not getting a rental car, taking on only carry on luggage, driving down instead, etc.) Sorry for the sarcastic Being in that situation once makes me a little more sensitive.

 

[CGBatch]

I may have only been on one Disney cruise before but my experience/ordeal was much worse! We scheduled our plane for 7:30 the night before then to stay at a hotel that night and drive take the bus to the port the next day. I went to work that day with my mom (had a summer filing job at her accounting office) and we had bee watching the weather all day. Bad news was coming and by the time we left the office at 5 our 7:30 plane was now an 8:10 one. We got to the airport around 7 and the plane was now 9:45. While standing in line for our tickets it changed to 10:30. Finally got our tickets and sat at the gate for about 1 hour and a half. Now it was about 10 and they told us that they moved our gate and the time would now be 10:45 so all the passengers moved to the other gate. At about 10:15 they informed us that we would not be flying that night due to FAA restrictions about how many hours a pilot can fly a day and how late at night flight can leave and junk. So with us now an hour away from home and the local hotels were being given to other connecting passengers with our type expected to go to our homes. That was not an option if we wanted to make it to the ticket counter bright and early at 6:30 when it opened to make sure we got tickets. We decided to sleep at the airport. My mom picked up one of the courtesy airway phones (the free ones) and started calling every airline she knew until 12 when they took the free phones away for night storage. She whipped out her cell phone and kept trying while my brother and dad slept we tried to get a plane early tomorrow. Finally at around 2 we got a plane with Air Tran (formerly known as Value Jet that exploded over the everglades and every passenger not killed in the accident died from drowning or being eaten by alligators; scary fact to know when flying their airline) and we were so happy. We found some other passengers going on the same cruise as us and formed a group of about 12 people and all called Disney saying we'd be a little late, they said since there were a bunch of us they could wait a little while for all of us. That night I slept the least and worst that I ever had. 4 hours of sleep on a marble sculpture (difficult to describe but it was flat) we woke up at 6 and were off to the ticket booths. We weren’t even first in line yet we were a half an hour early. Anyway they opened and took us for reimbursement to use on Air Tran plus they gave us 6 dollars each (24 total) in airport gift certificates (I guess what you call them even though "we feel sorry for you so here is some money to spend coupons" would be a better name) for breakfast. We ate and left on our plane making it to MCO around 3ish and worked our magic plan that my mom and I get out to the bus and hold it while the rest of our tiny group got the luggage and my dad and bother got ours. We made it on the bus and to the port cleared security and boarded the ship during the lifeboat drill. I went to the room got the luggage and headed to the pool to relax after this eventful day. Any way I'll state the exact announcement that was made over the PA system. "Due to some late arriving guests, our departure from port will be at six o'clock today, Thank you" and when I heard that I had a huge smirk on my face and realized we had made it and we were going to have a fun week and we did. The end!