Challenging Decision of Booking Air

[travelrevealed2]

I am trying to decide between booking my own air to Orlando (MCO) or just going with DCL's pacakge. My two biggest fears in going with DCL's package is that my party of 3 will not be sitting together on the flights (2 adults 1 child) and that DCL will choose the cheapest flights, which may have 2 or more air transfers prior to getting to MCO.

If I book my own, I could set my seats right away, I would fly out the day before sailing, based on earlier threads I would probably stay at the Hyatt and either use Disney's transfer to/from ship or hire a towncar. The total cost of doing it on my own is about a wash.

DCL says that if you go through them they will not tell you your flights until 30 days from departure, and then you have to contact the airline to book seats.

If you have booked air through DCL before has your party ever been split up when it comes time to seating? and has Disney given you non-stop flights and multiple transfers?

If you have booked your own air feel free to shar tips.

Thanks.

[MightyMike]

It sounds like you have answered your own question. You don't mention any advantages to booking through DCL, so why would you choose them?

[Host Mick]

Originally Posted by MightyMike

It sounds like you have answered your own question. You don't mention any advantages to booking through DCL, so why would you choose them?

I was thinking the same thing. The only advantages of booking through Disney are first that you get a vacation as free of decision-making as possible. Let them do the air for you. The other reason is that in the event that your flight is delayed or cancelled, you've got Disney on your side to get you to the ship. I've heard that they will delay the ship for a time to allow you to board.

[Zippercat]

Fly in at least one day BEFORE, not the day your cruise starts!!! Save yourself the worry of whether your flight is delayed.

[ducklite]

I'm another person who subscribes to the get there a day early theory.

[crusinmama06]

I never do cruise air and we always fly in the day before. In this day/age of constantly changing flights/delays there is no way I would risk flying in the day of.

Our last flight - scheduled to get into Orlando at 1pm, arrived at 10pm.

Luckily we were flying in the night before.

[cherylandtk]

Go to the Cruise Air forum and read the sticky note about Cruise Air and Air Deviation Explained. Then thank your lucky stars you know better than to book Cruise Air which comes with no guarantees and is usually more costly for less value.

[mymollysue]

In my opinion, book your own air and go a day early. My husband and I did a transatlantic celebrity cruise for our honeymoon and booked our air through the cruise line and they did not have us sitting together.
For our Disney vacation this December we had to go with the cruise line air as part of our package. But we do our land portion first so hopefully there won't be a problem. I am hoping there won't be any flight issues, and we decided not to pay extra for air deviation. I'll let you all know 30 days before!

[hollyjolly]

I struggled with this decision also, but when it came time to book I didn't have a choice. I just booked my 4 night cruise last week and was not able to book the air travel out of Houston (was not available?) Now I have to make my own travel arrangements, which is probably a better idea anyway!

[atinkerbellmom]

Get there at least the night before; even if it is staying a cheapo hotel near the airport. Book your own air. DCL tends to be a lot higher to even book the same flight. After all, they need a cut too. Everyone I know who has booked with DCL has not had the best flight available, so book it yourself.

[MightyMike]

Originally Posted by Zippercat

Fly in at least one day BEFORE, not the day your cruise starts!!! Save yourself the worry of whether your flight is delayed.

Or better yet, fly in THREE days early. If you flight is on time, you get to spend a couple of days at Disney World. That is what we are doing for our trip in the middle of winter. We aren't taking ANY chances with this trip!

[Host Mick]

Originally Posted by travelrevealed2

I am trying to decide between booking my own air to Orlando (MCO) or just going with DCL's pacakge. My two biggest fears in going with DCL's package is that my party of 3 will not be sitting together on the flights (2 adults 1 child) and that DCL will choose the cheapest flights, which may have 2 or more air transfers prior to getting to MCO.

Here's what you should do:
Tell your kid that if they try to seat you separately, go to you seat and start crying. The flight attendants will have you seated together faster than you can say "the cabin is cleared for departure"

Yes, it's evil... evil but effective.

[ducklite]

Originally Posted by Host Mick

Here's what you should do:
Tell your kid that if they try to seat you separately, go to you seat and start crying. The flight attendants will have you seated together faster than you can say "the cabin is cleared for departure"

Yes, it's evil... evil but effective.

It's actually not always effective.

If the rest of the plane is primarily families, they might not be able to move people around. If the flight comes in late and they are trying for a quick turnaround, they won't be bothered.

And now that more and more carriers are charging extra for preferred seating, it gives the FA's a much smaller pool of potential seats to try and move around. People who paid a premium for a "good" seat aren't going to give it up--and rightfully so.

Telling a child to purposely cry or spill something on the person next to them is not only encouraging poor manners, but is also encouraging air rage.

I've seen families split up with kids all over the plane, and that was the end of it. Unless the child is below school age, more and more the FA's are telling people that they will have to ask others to switch, rather than the FA's getting involved.

I fly quite regularly, and see it all the time. The key is to offer your window or aisle seat in exchange for their middle seat. Do not expect people in a bulkhead aisle seat to trade for your middle seat in a non-recline row, it's just not going to happen. You need to sacrifice the good seat to be able to have your child next to one of the adults, and be happy with that. The other adult can certainly manage alone during the flight.

That said, usually the reason people are split up is that they didn't book seats when the flight was booked--usually by a third party, or they missed an earlier flight or connection. If you book yourself, select your seats, and then check every week to make sure those seats are still yours and address it immediately if they aren't (which can happen with an equipment change) you should have no problem sitting together.