Wow. I'm already overwhelmed!

[dskib]

Hi there -

I consider myself somewhat of an expert planning my Disney vacations , However, I've been perusing this board for about an hour, and I can tell you that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing in terms of planning a cruise.

I checked the stickies in hopes that there was an all inclusive tell me everything I could possibly ever need to know post, but I guess that'd be too long!!

So I just had a few questions maybe to ask the experts. I'm sure they'll be more!

1. I was thinking that as a total newbie to the cruises that I should use a travel agent for this vaca (probably 2012 or 2013). Does anyone have a preference over Small World Vacations or Dreams Unlimited?

2. How does one get from the airport in Orlando to Port Canaveral? I'm assuming it's by bus? Is there a charge? Or is it easier/less expensive to just rent a car and drive?

3. Have you found that it's better to fly in the night before?

4. I keep reading to pack light. And then I read that you can't wear shorts in the dining rooms. Am I reading it correctly that I'd need day/beach clothes, night dinner clothes, AND a dress or 2 for dress up nights or the adult restaurant? because that's a lot of clothes!

Thanks in advance, I really appreciate the input!
Deb

 

[Presentation]

Hi there -

I consider myself somewhat of an expert planning my Disney vacations , However, I've been perusing this board for about an hour, and I can tell you that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing in terms of planning a cruise.

I checked the stickies in hopes that there was an all inclusive tell me everything I could possibly ever need to know post, but I guess that'd be too long!!

So I just had a few questions maybe to ask the experts. I'm sure they'll be more!

1. I was thinking that as a total newbie to the cruises that I should use a travel agent for this vaca (probably 2012 or 2013). Does anyone have a preference over Small World Vacations or Dreams Unlimited?

Given this is your first time I suggestion you book with someone you can call and talk to. This would be a full service travel agent or directly with Disney Cruise line.

2. How does one get from the airport in Orlando to Port Canaveral? I'm assuming it's by bus? Is there a charge? Or is it easier/less expensive to just rent a car and drive?

Disney does offer bus transfers. This does cost extra. It’s been years since we did this so I’ll let someone else answer how much it costs.
We rent a car. For us, a family of 5, its less expensive and we do not go directly from the airport to the cruise port.

3. Have you found that it's better to fly in the night before?
We fly in early then if it all works out we go to Disney World. You could also go to Downtown Disney, a no admission Disney location or other Florida area attractions, go to Cocoa Beach or just go to a hotel and relax.

I am always afraid of a flight delay causing us to miss the boat. We worked out a deal with Disney Cruise Line. If we are not there when the ship is ready to leave they can just leave without us. It’s the same deal everyone gets.


4. I keep reading to pack light. And then I read that you can't wear shorts in the dining rooms. Am I reading it correctly that I'd need day/beach clothes, night dinner clothes, AND a dress or 2 for dress up nights or the adult restaurant? because that's a lot of clothes!
We just got back from a 4 night cruise plus we were in Florida 3 additional days. As a family of 5 we checked 1 bag total. My contribution to the checked bag? A cork screw for opening a bottle of wine that we purchased in Florida after we arrived. Everything else fit in my carry-on or personal item or in my pockets.


Thanks in advance, I really appreciate the input!
Deb

.....

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

1. I was thinking that as a total newbie to the cruises that I should use a travel agent for this vaca (probably 2012 or 2013). Does anyone have a preference over Small World Vacations or Dreams Unlimited?

I like the Disney travel experts at Dreams Unlimited because they sponsor this board. Even if all else were equal, I would prefer to support the agency that makes it possible for us to learn so much ahead of time. And my personal experiences with Dreams Unlimited have been top-notch.

2. How does one get from the airport in Orlando to Port Canaveral? I'm assuming it's by bus? Is there a charge? Or is it easier/less expensive to just rent a car and drive?

There's a lot to said for the convenience of the DCL ground service from the airport to the port. Yes, there's a charge for it. Disney's service uses modern motor coaches which are more like airliners inside than like city buses.

That said, in the past, I've rented cars or used a towncar service. A car rental involves the time and inconvenience of having to use a rental car shuttle service to and from Cocoa Beach. A towncar is fine for 2 or 3 people, but rather tight for 4 people. A towncar trunk is big, but not necessarily big enough for everyone's bags and carry-ons.

I now think the DCL motor coaches would be the easiest, even if the cost is somewhat higher for a family.

3. Have you found that it's better to fly in the night before?

Absolutely fly in the day before! The consequences of getting to the port too late because of a cancelled flight, missed connection, weather delay, mechanical delay or any other reason are so severe that it's not something I would want to do. Sure, the vast majority of people who fly in on the day of their cruise make it to the port with no problem. But I wouldn't want to be one of the people who doesn't.

Actually, even if you could guarantee that my flight would operate on time, I would still much prefer not to start my cruise departure day with 3:00 a.m. alarm clock and an early flight. I don't want to be one of those passengers who is too tired to enjoy the ship on the departure day.

4. I keep reading to pack light. And then I read that you can't wear shorts in the dining rooms. Am I reading it correctly that I'd need day/beach clothes, night dinner clothes, AND a dress or 2 for dress up nights or the adult restaurant? because that's a lot of clothes!

The dining rooms are very air-conditioned. I wouldn't want to wear shorts. And Disney requests that guests not do so.

Keep in mind that clothes that are only worn for a few hours in the evening can be worn again. So it's not a case of having to bring 14 outfits.

 

[LadyMac428]

We booked our first Disney Cruise on our own and did the research ourselves. We hired a town car to take us to the ship and asked the same driver to pick us up at the end of the cruise. He was happy to do so.

We flew in the night before to give us room in case we had some flight delays. We did some sight seeing and really enjoyed the extra day before the cruise.

We each brought one bag that we checked and one carry on bag that we kept with us. There was lots of room to store your clothes in the room. We pretty much wore our bathing suite during the day and shorts the rest of the time do it didn`t take up too much room in our bags. A few outfits for dinner is good but bring things that you can mix and match...there is also a laundry room so you can cut down on the numbers of items you bring.

Your checked baggage is dropped off at your stateroom, which you do not have access to until 2 p.m. We packed the kids`bathing suites in the carry on bags so that we could go for a swim while we were waiting for our room to be ready. I would definitely do that again!

I hope that helps a little! Have fun planning your cruise! I`m sure the whole thing will be a very magical experience!!!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Hi there -

I consider myself somewhat of an expert planning my Disney vacations , However, I've been perusing this board for about an hour, and I can tell you that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing in terms of planning a cruise.

I checked the stickies in hopes that there was an all inclusive tell me everything I could possibly ever need to know post, but I guess that'd be too long!!

So I just had a few questions maybe to ask the experts. I'm sure they'll be more!

1. I was thinking that as a total newbie to the cruises that I should use a travel agent for this vaca (probably 2012 or 2013). Does anyone have a preference over Small World Vacations or Dreams Unlimited?
In my small amount of experience with SW I wouldn't recommend them. They told me I couldn't do something that now I know 6 cruises later would have been easy for me to do. (I wanted to book 1st day of date release, as early as possible, but didn't know which of 2 weeks was going to be my kids fall break week & wanted to put deposits for both weeks, then once I get school calendar, cancel the one we're not doing. Was told I can't do this! WTH! People do it all the time and some even cruise BOTH! They acted like I was totally insane! grrrrr.....)
DU is a good start if you feel very lost. At least they are very familiar with DCL.
2. How does one get from the airport in Orlando to Port Canaveral? I'm assuming it's by bus? Is there a charge? Or is it easier/less expensive to just rent a car and drive?
You have some choices here, all have pros & cons:
1. DCL has a bus transfer from MCO or WDW resorts. It's $35 pp, no exceptions, so depending on your family size, it may be expensive. It's also very convenient since they handle all your luggage. If you fly home on a participating airline (not SWA) and use DCL bus back to MCO, they'll deliver your boarding passes & luggage tags right to your cabin and once you put your bags outside your door the last night, you don't see them until the next day at your home airport. No need to reclaim once you get off the ship or wait in line at MCO to check them. Ultra convenient so we do love to take DCL bus post cruise.
2. Private car service. We have used Happy Limo to take us to PC several times & booked them again for Nov. They include a free grocery stop if you want to carry on alcohol or bottled water or if you simply forgot to pack something. We like this since we decide when we want to be picked up and still can let someone else load up the vehicle.

3. One way car rental- I may be in the minority here in that I think it's a PITA to do this. It's the cheapest method but least convenient IMHO. By the time you deal with lugging your bags & cramming it into trunk, tolls, refueling prior to drop off, waiting in line to drop car off, waiting for shuttle back to port, etc. it's just not worth the small savings to me.
Cruising is so relaxing and pampering, the car rental method really snaps you back into reality. To me, "least expensive" doesn't always equal "best". After all, we could find cheaper cruises, yet we still pay extra for DCL right?
3. Have you found that it's better to fly in the night before?
Absolutely!!! Even if you fly in the night before after school & have a late arrival Not only for snow delays but so many things can delay a flight or even just luggage delays can be frustrating. This happened to us TWICE. Once was our 1st cruise when we flew same day, next was flying night before. It's so much less stressful to know you have some time to get all this resolved before leaving for the ship. Also for our 1st few cruises that we flew down same day, we were so tired by dinner from having to wake up at 3am for an early flight, we just weren't having a nice time.
Now we fly down after school the night before, then crash at the Hyatt right inside MCO. We wake up well rested and ready to head to the port. There are lots of hotels in the MCO area for all budgets.
4. I keep reading to pack light. And then I read that you can't wear shorts in the dining rooms. Am I reading it correctly that I'd need day/beach clothes, night dinner clothes, AND a dress or 2 for dress up nights or the adult restaurant? because that's a lot of clothes!
Yes, but 1st find out if your cruise even has a formal night or you're dining in Palo (optional) otherwise you won't need a dress, suit/tie, etc. We spend most of our cruise time in either a bathing suit or dinner clothes (capris & blouse/top for me or khakis & polo shirt for dh & boys) so I don't pack shorts & tshirts for every single day, kwim? So yes, that's 2 garment bags for 4 of us, just for dinner clothes. Next we add in pirate costumes & accessories, Phillies gear for the 2 times they played in the World Series during/just before our cruise, Halloween costumes, etc. It's really a LOT of stuff. There are self-service laundry rooms on all ships or you can send it out but it's expensive. We only wear our dinner clothes to dinner then the evening show after, just a few hours, so we wear those things more than once unless stained. So for a 7 nt cruise, we bring pp: 2 outfits for cruise casual nights, 1 dress/suit for formal night & semi formal night. Semi formal night the guys leave off the jacket.
Thanks in advance, I really appreciate the input!
Deb

If you see a cruise you think you might like, just book it. You can easily cancel later if you change your mind (prior to final payment due date) but new ships are selling quickly and chances are if you wait, the price will be several hundred more when you go to book later.

Have fun planning!

 

[kcashner]

First time--start with a good travel agent. Look for an agent who has been on the same ship you will be on and who specializes in DCL. I've found many on-line/distant agents who know much more than the locals! I like having an 800 number and being able to talk with my agent before and after booking. Look for a "full service" agent who will book air, limo service, insurance, etc. for you if desired, not one who will just punch the computer and book what you could do on your own thru DCL. I like having a "bricks and boards" office where all agents have access to my file--I talk to my agent when she's there, but when not, someone else can help me. I'm not dealing with someone from a home computer or blackberry! I also like an agency with a 24/7 emergency number in addition to "extended hours" at the office!

The fact that the agent gives an onboard credit (real money that you can spend on board as a "thanks for booking with us" is nice, but the service it more important. Remember that you buy both the agency and the agent!

Most of your cruise questions were answered.

YES, fly in a day before. All kinds of nastiness can happen with flights. It is FAR better to spend a few dollars on a hotel for the night than to go thru the headache of same day arrival/late flights, etc. I KNOW that if I'm in the MCO area in the morning that no matter what happens I will be on that ship; can't say the same if I'm at my home airport at 5 am!

From airport to cruise terminal you have 3 choices:
DCL bus $35 per person each way. Totally convenient. If you fly in day of, they will claim your luggage and you'll next see it on the ship. Obviously, this won't happen if you fly in a day early, but you can still get the bus from the airport to terminal if desired.
ONE WAY car rental--cost under $50 for full size car. Works well if coming in the night before as you pay for a 24 hour rental. Allows you to hit a grocery or drug store if needed, go out to dinner the night before, etc. You drive to the port and drop the car at the return place; they all have free shuttles to the port. Yes, you deal with your own luggage.
Limo/towncar service...cost about $125-150 one way. Advantage--no car return, driver to help with luggage. Vehicles can be obtained for as many people as needed

You can wear clothing multiple times. For instance, black or khaki slacks for the dining room can be worn with different shirts as you only wear them a couple hours. You don't need 3 outfits for each day! And there is laundry service as well as self service available if you choose.

 

[kcashner]

First time--start with a good travel agent. Look for an agent who has been on the same ship you will be on and who specializes in DCL. I've found many on-line/distant agents who know much more than the locals! I like having an 800 number and being able to talk with my agent before and after booking. Look for a "full service" agent who will book air, limo service, insurance, etc. for you if desired, not one who will just punch the computer and book what you could do on your own thru DCL. I like having a "bricks and boards" office where all agents have access to my file--I talk to my agent when she's there, but when not, someone else can help me. I'm not dealing with someone from a home computer or blackberry! I also like an agency with a 24/7 emergency number in addition to "extended hours" at the office!

The fact that the agent gives an onboard credit (real money that you can spend on board as a "thanks for booking with us" is nice, but the service it more important. Remember that you buy both the agency and the agent!

Most of your cruise questions were answered.

YES, fly in a day before. All kinds of nastiness can happen with flights. It is FAR better to spend a few dollars on a hotel for the night than to go thru the headache of same day arrival/late flights, etc. I KNOW that if I'm in the MCO area in the morning that no matter what happens I will be on that ship; can't say the same if I'm at my home airport at 5 am!

From airport to cruise terminal you have 3 choices:
DCL bus $35 per person each way. Totally convenient. If you fly in day of, they will claim your luggage and you'll next see it on the ship. Obviously, this won't happen if you fly in a day early, but you can still get the bus from the airport to terminal if desired.
ONE WAY car rental--cost under $50 for full size car. Works well if coming in the night before as you pay for a 24 hour rental. Allows you to hit a grocery or drug store if needed, go out to dinner the night before, etc. You drive to the port and drop the car at the return place; they all have free shuttles to the port. Yes, you deal with your own luggage.
Limo/towncar service...cost about $125-150 one way. Advantage--no car return, driver to help with luggage. Vehicles can be obtained for as many people as needed

You can wear clothing multiple times. For instance, black or khaki slacks for the dining room can be worn with different shirts as you only wear them a couple hours. You don't need 3 outfits for each day! And there is laundry service as well as self service available if you choose.

 

[dskib]

Thanks so much!!! I appreciate the input! Looks like everyone is agreed on flying down the day before, which is great to know! My husband and I were disagreeing on that earlier. Looks like he won

So if we fly in a day earlier, we claim our luggage ourselves, take it to our hotel, and bring it to the Disney bus the next day, yes?

Deb

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Thanks so much!!! I appreciate the input! Looks like everyone is agreed on flying down the day before, which is great to know! My husband and I were disagreeing on that earlier. Looks like he won

So if we fly in a day earlier, we claim our luggage ourselves, take it to our hotel, and bring it to the Disney bus the next day, yes?
Deb

or whatever transportation you're using.

 

[kcashner]

Thanks so much!!! I appreciate the input! Looks like everyone is agreed on flying down the day before, which is great to know! My husband and I were disagreeing on that earlier. Looks like he won

So if we fly in a day earlier, we claim our luggage ourselves, take it to our hotel, and bring it to the Disney bus the next day, yes?

Deb

There are lots of alternatives here--depending on whether cost or convenience is most important, etc.

We typically come down on Friday after work/school. Thus we are arriving late and don't really care where we stay as long as it is clean. I usually get a 2.5* room on Priceline. At that level, all hotels include complimentary shuttle to/from MCO and breakfast. Thus, I can still make all transportation decisions independently.

SO...if I'm using a rental car, I'll get it when we fly in, drive to the hotel (most are within 5 minutes of MCO) and then drive to the port. With a one way rental you can drop your luggage/passengers at the terminal and have just the driver return the car OR keep the group together and ride the shuttle back to the terminal (free).

If you are using a limo service, have them pick you up at the hotel and take you to the port.

If you are using DCL bus, take the hotel shuttle back to MCO and turn your luggage over to the Disney people there.

The easiest choice is to stay at the Hyatt MCO. If you stay there, they will take your luggage from your hotel room in the morning and you'll see it next at your cabin on the ship. You will also be able to check in for the cruise at the airport "Welcome Center." (anyone on DCL transportation can do this).