Travel Dilemma - Advice Needed

[DisPhanatic]

A first time WDW friend of mine is planning a trip next month. I have been helping hey but she threw a last minute challenge at me. All along they were driving from PA to Orlando. Now they would like to fly.

Option 1 - Direct flight the day before they check in at Disney. They would like a hotel near the airport with a shuttle. Stay there one night and then take the shuttle back to the airport to catch Magical Express to WDW and CBR. Is this feasible? Are there hotels you would recommend?

Option 2 - Take a non direct flight early Saturday morning. They are traveling with a 2 year old and have 12:55 reservations at Crystal Palace and a 2:30 Anna and Elsa fast pass. It is also their late MK night.

What would you do?

 

[lustergirl]

A first time WDW friend of mine is planning a trip next month. I have been helping hey but she threw a last minute challenge at me. All along they were driving from PA to Orlando. Now they would like to fly.

Option 1 - Direct flight the day before they check in at Disney. They would like a hotel near the airport with a shuttle. Stay there one night and then take the shuttle back to the airport to catch Magical Express to WDW and CBR. Is this feasible? Are there hotels you would recommend?

Option 2 - Take a non direct flight early Saturday morning. They are traveling with a 2 year old and have 12:55 reservations at Crystal Palace and a 2:30 Anna and Elsa fast pass. It is also their late MK night.

What would you do?

I would let her figure it out since she threw a wrench in the plans.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

First, when you say "direct" flight, do you really mean non-stop flight? A direct flight has stops.

With their scheduled activities, I'd probably take the non-stop flight the day before, but this will be the most expensive option with the extra hotel night, assuming airfare is the same for both flights.

 

[smiths02]

I would do Option 1 if it wasn't prohibitively more expensive

 

[sharona]

Option 1. There are lots of inexpensive hotels with airport shuttles and they can use ME the next day or arrange other transportation to their WDW resort. Whenever possible, we like to fly in the night before our vacation officially begins. It gives us a full first day and has saved us a few times when there were unexpected delays!

 

[robndani]

first option

 

[rigs32]

Option 1.

As for hotel? I'd go to hotwire, search for 3 star at higher hotels with airport shuttle and book the cheapest one with good reviews.

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

I would say, "If it were me" I would fly in the day before on a direct with the baby. But, it is totally up to you.
The connecting flight, an ADR that early and late night are a disaster in the works. Even without a flight that day with a baby it will be difficult unless after lunch she takes the baby for a nap.

 

[momto3pirates]

In June DH and I flew in to MCO really late (landed around midnight) and stayed at the hotel in the airport. It was so nice the next morning to get up and walk down to ME without a big rush.

 

[LadyBeBop]

Option 1. Option 2 is a recipe for disaster. Any slight airline deviation and they'll lose their ADR for Crystal Palace and the FP for A&E.
As for hotels around the airport, we stayed at a Ramada Inn earlier this year. That's very close to the airport, however I don't know if they have shuttles (we drove). Got it for less than $100 for three adults and one child. Not fancy, but good for one night. Within walking distance of several restaurants, and they had a good free breakfast.

 

[jnjhuddle]

Definitely option 1. We have done this before and I think we stayed at the comfort suites and it worked out well with free breakfast and shuttle. We did this because port Orleans riverside was not available the night we were arriving. Will they be arriving late the night before, after magical Express hours? If not another option would be to add 1 more night to CBR or if they are looking to save $$, a night at Pop Century and then move to CBR the next day via cab (they are literally 1 mile apart) or have disney transfer the luggage.

 

[DisPhanatic]

You are all so helpful!

- Yes, it was a non-stop flight (not direct).
- The Friday flight is actually about $70 per person cheaper than the Saturday am flight with a layover.
- I was able to talk them into booking the Friday night flight.
- They are now researching their hotel options: at the airport, shuttle near the airport, CBR, or a value resort for a night.

Thanks for all the sound advice! I laughed out loud about the comment to let her deal with it since she threw the wrench. Honestly, she has been my BFF for 20 years - we've shared three weddings, a few funerals, and too much laughter and tears to describe. I wouldn't abandon her for the world. But it still made me laugh

 

[nkereina]

Option 1. The Hyatt is right in the Orlando airport, I believe they can walk right into it with no shuttle needed.

 

[kollerbear]

Option 1. The Hyatt is right in the Orlando airport, I believe they can walk right into it with no shuttle needed.

Yeah, it's pricey, but honestly if they're saving that much money ($70 pp) they're probably saving enough to cover a good portion of it. For a first timer that convenience would be so, so, so nice. And staying in the airport has a bit of a wow factor all on its own. I stayed there with my DH the last night of our honeymoon and the convenience/complete and utter lack of stress was really worth every penny.