who to fly with

[jakoky]

HI there, i am in the process of trying to book a trip for june....i have only flown once, as have my kids, when we went to disneyworld 14 months ago....i didnt like it, but it wasnt near as bad as i thought it would be, except that it was a 6.5 hr flight. This time we have decided on disneyland as the flight is much shorter, only 2.5 hrs ....i havent been to disneyland since i was 13(so many, many yrs ago, but i had been 5 times by then)...anyways, the cheapest flight i can get by far is thru alaska air....2 hundred cheaper per person),but my husband(who has flown so much you cant count) does NOT want to fly with them(not that he ever has)...I just wondered what others experience with them is, he is going by what he has heard on the news.....the time i flew we went with continental and they were great.....we fly out of bc,canada so it is more costly.....any info would be so appreciated, because now he has my stressed out at booking....thx so
much
sharon

 

[stampinshauna]

I typically choose my airline carrier based on schedule and price. I live in Salt Lake City, which is one of Delta's hubs so I usually fly Delta because they have more direct flights than other companies.

Have a safe flight and a wonderful trip.

 

[c&m]

We have taken Alaska Air every time we've gone to Anaheim or Orlando since 2000. It is very affordable ($259 return to Orlando during last year's spring break!), and we are on the Alaska Air mileage plan. As a result, our upcoming trip in March is "free" (in quotes because we still have to pay those darn taxes). We like them.

However, if your DH does not like to fly with them, I hear Westjet is great. They sometimes have some great deals...like a week and a half ago, they had the 50% off all flights, including flights to/from LAX. Check them out. If our flight wasn't free, I would've booked with them!

 

[PrincessSitka]

I fly Alaska Airlines all of the time. Kids fly free to Disneyland call there vacation desk they will tell more about that.

 

[ter-moo]

My new favorite airline is JetBlue, but it depends on where you're flying from whether you have that as an option.

Southwest is always fun, although I don't like having to scramble for seats.

Those are my two top picks.

 

[Judy from Boise]

Alaska is my favorite airline! Next we usually fly Delta to rack up FF points for trips to WDW! Alaska is our best non-stop from Boise to LA.

 

[abby]

We fly Alaska and love it.

 

[Snow Brite]

Alaska is also my favorite airline.Their staff tend to be more customer service oriented, their airplanes are clean and comfortable, and they always seem to be organized. Plus you might get to ride on one of their two Disney airplanes! I got a ride on the Tinkerbell plane and it was beautiful. I usually fly with them and everytime I fly with someone else it is always a shock how little they clean the planes between flights anymore and how rude the ticket agents can be. The one problem I have had with Alaska that has happened more than once is lost luggage.

Why does your husband not want to fly with them? If they are the cheapest then all the better! And in that part of the world its hard to avoid them!

 

[poshspice94]

HI there, i am in the process of trying to book a trip for june....i have only flown once, as have my kids, when we went to disneyworld 14 months ago....i didnt like it, but it wasnt near as bad as i thought it would be, except that it was a 6.5 hr flight. This time we have decided on disneyland as the flight is much shorter, only 2.5 hrs

My family and I have been to DisneyWorld several times. We were hoping to bite the bullet and try Disneyland this year for the anniversary. We are so scared of flying, and the trips from New York to Florida are relatively quick. (Delta gets us there in less than two hours!) My husband and my 4 year old just about make it. Whats killing us is the 6 1/2 hour flight across several time zones to CA. Is is truly worth it?? Florida seems to have everything within bus distance and you truly feel like your in a different world. (With shuttles & taxi's everywhere, you dont need to rent a car) Going to CA, with the traffic like New York, and the major distance of the parks (Universal is in LA alsmost two hours away??) Im concerned that drugging ourselves to get through the flight and all the driving might not be worth it. And the flight. when is the best time to go with a 4 year old?? Im so scared Im just thinking of planning another Florida trip. Please HELP!! Any thoughts??




__________________________________________________ __________
1990- Polynesian Beach Resort (High School Graduation)
1997- Carribean Beach Resort (Honeymoon)
1998- Port Orleans Resort (1 year Anniversary)
2001- Corronado Springs Resort (Dads 60th B-Day)
2002- All-Star Sports (Daughters Birthday)
2004- Pop Century
2005- All-Star Movies

 

[jakoky]

You have the same problem as me...except i dont want to fly the 7 hrs to WDW....we are in bc,canada and it is a 6.5 hr flight to orlando and i have only flown the 1 time and that was to disneyworld. My doctor wanted to give me something, which i did say no to. It was not near as bad as i thought, but i still dread getting on a plane again, but it is only a 2.5 hr flight to LA from BC....i havent been to disneyland since i was 13(but i did go 5 times by then), but i can only remember bits and pieces, but know i loved it. Disneyworld is something else though, it is amazing and if it wasnt for the flight, it would 99% be the way i would go. My dad, who has been to disneyland probably at least 15 times,(he has never flown, nor will he ever) has looked at my disneyworld pics and siad that he thinks the kids will be disappointed in disneyland....how i wish the flight was shorter. Like you said, crossing time zones is hard too, i know when we arrived in florida we were ok with the 3 hour difference. We were exhausted with 2 nights with very little sleep and travelling, but coming home took the kids a couple of weeks to be ready for bed on time...I dont know about you, but which is the cheaper flight....weirdly for us, we can fly to orlando quite a bit cheaper than LA(that is flying out of seattle for orlando).....if i could just get myself onto that longer flight....i think if u hate flying as much as we do, maybe even waiting a couple of years for your son to get a bit older....it is a long flight, but you know, i am sure it is worth it, i just havent been in so long, and i cant imagine how it can compare to disneyworld
sharon

 

[poshspice94]

Thank you so much for your great post. My feeling is the same as you, maybe waiting a few years till the kids and myself can handle the long flight. It was really upsetting me trying to fiure out how to bring a restless child on a flight that long. I was also dispaointed ot hear in CA all the places to go are so scattered and far away. Meaning, the San Diego Zoo and Universal Studios are NOT a shuttle ride away. Floida is amazing and everything is so close. We have done it so many times we wanted to try something new, and I really wanted to try Disneyland, but maybe its for something in a few years! Thanks!

 

[azgal81]

I have a friend who gives her son (whose three) benedryl for plane rides so he sleeps for about two hours. Her doctor actually recommended it to her! Then she entertains him with gummy bears and coloring. You can always bring a mini dvd player on board so they can watch some disney movies. Or you can fly the red eye so they are too tired to be restless and sleep the whole time!

 

[PinkTink63]

HI there, i am in the process of trying to book a trip for june....i have only flown once, as have my kids, when we went to disneyworld 14 months ago....i didnt like it, but it wasnt near as bad as i thought it would be, except that it was a 6.5 hr flight. This time we have decided on disneyland as the flight is much shorter, only 2.5 hrs ....i havent been to disneyland since i was 13(so many, many yrs ago, but i had been 5 times by then)...anyways, the cheapest flight i can get by far is thru alaska air....2 hundred cheaper per person),but my husband(who has flown so much you cant count) does NOT want to fly with them(not that he ever has)...I just wondered what others experience with them is, he is going by what he has heard on the news.....the time i flew we went with continental and they were great.....we fly out of bc,canada so it is more costly.....any info would be so appreciated, because now he has my stressed out at booking....thx so
much
sharon

We love Alaska! I love that you can book and pick your seat at the same time. They seem to have pretty good leg room, comparatively speaking. I have always heard good things about Delta also. I used to help their flight attendants all the time where I used to work. IMO they are extremely nice!
I can tell you that United and Southwest are my least favorites. United has the worst leg room! Southwest...it is really like the TV show "Airline." They overbook alot! We did get free tickets from them once. You have to ask yourself though, "Is it worth missing our time at DL?"
I had a question for you. I live in Portland OR and our flight to Anaheim was about 2.5 hrs. How is it that your even farther away and still only 2.5 hours?
Stephanie

 

[Spook50]

Every time we've went, we've flown from Seatac (in Seattle) on Alaska Airlines. Last time I priced it, it was about 500 round trip for two people. They fly direct from Seatac to John Wayne airport (Orange County), which is much better then flying into LAX if you're going to DL. Sometimes LAX is unavoidable though. Hopefully you can get John Wayne wich whichever airline you fly on.

Another thing I'd like to add is to AVOID American Airlines at all costs. I was treated absolutely horribly when I tried to fly from Wichita Falls, TX back home to Seattle. I was bumped three times, the jerk working the desk tried to charge me an extra 300 DOLLARS for my tightly packed duffel bag (I was going home from tech school, which was right after boot camp), and caused me to miss my first flight (before getting bumped) because he was all spun up about my "overweight bag" and held me up so long. He'd been fired after I wrote a scathing complaint, but I will never forget standing in that airport, in my dress uniform, being treated like scum and generally humiliated.

 

[jakoky]

Hi, i just checked the actual flight time, and is is 5-10 minutes short of 3 hours...i guess saying 2.5 was really wishful thinking on my part, just sounds better than 3 .....but really it is unreal that flying off vancouver island only adds that short of time onto the flight for us compared to you.....alaska is sounding better all the time, i really appreciate all the stuff people have told me, i just need to go ahead and book, but am trying to decide between june9-19 or the 14-24...do u think the crowds will be a little less on the earlier dates...i know that here in bc, most schools dont let out til the very end of june....thx
sharon

 

[abby]

Alaska is great and as for keeping kids entertained, I always take a backpack full of stuff, coloring, sticker books, (this time a hand held video game) and it seems my dd (5 and 1/2) is so excited to be on a plane and get a soda that we never use all the stuff I pack. As for the trip home, I schedule an afternoon trip and although she has outgrown naps at home, she usually sleeps the whole flight home. Be sure to schedule flights at times kids are reasonable, no red eyes for them......

 

[PinkTink63]

Alaska is great and as for keeping kids entertained, I always take a backpack full of stuff, coloring, sticker books, (this time a hand held video game) and it seems my dd (5 and 1/2) is so excited to be on a plane and get a soda that we never use all the stuff I pack. As for the trip home, I schedule an afternoon trip and although she has outgrown naps at home, she usually sleeps the whole flight home. Be sure to schedule flights at times kids are reasonable, no red eyes for them......

If we are going to Orlando, we always take the latest flight out. It has always worked best for us. Our son has always done really well. I think the red-eye for long distance is great, but not for a short flight.
Stephanie

 

[Spook50]

If we are going to Orlando, we always take the latest flight out. It has always worked best for us. Our son has always done really well. I think the red-eye for long distance is great, but not for a short flight.
Stephanie

I agree that red-eyes are great for long distance. There were a few families with small children who all slept through the flight when I went to WDW (left Seatac at midnight local time. Even I can't stay awake on a plane anymore, day or night. Las time, I fell asleep while reading Call of Cthulhu. That was a mistake...